It seems like every day there's a new health fad circling the internet. Always that quick fix or way to hack your body. I've covered different diets and supplements on this page and now I will be covering the most instagramable one yet. I am talking of course about Pink Himalayan Salt. Normally salt gets a bad rep in the health field, but when you mention the pink part all previous arguments are tossed out of the window. So lets take a deeper dive into this pretty form of Sodium Chloride and see if it sets itself apart from regular salt.

What The Heck Is It?

Well, its salt, but pink, and its old, over 200 million years old. Found deep under the Himalayan Mountains in Pakistan this salt gets it's pink tint from other "trace" minerals found in it. While table salt is truly pure Sodium Chloride, Himalayan Salt is about 98% Sodium Chloride.

So what does the 2% consist of?

People claim it contains up to 84 "trace minerals". In such small quantities that it's almost insignificant. Keep in mind that the body only uses about 15 different minerals, so what the hell do you do with the other 69 minerals? Your body can't use them in any meaningful way so what good do they have in your body?

But Billy, 84 minerals is a lot!

You are right my friend, but lets take a look at how much is really in it. Below is a graph of some big minerals found in regular salt and Pink Salt. These numbers are based on 1g of each (which is basically 1/6 tsp).

Pink Himalayan Salt              |   Table Salt

These tiny quantities are too small to have any large effect on your body.

Well, What Else Is It Used For?

Bath salt:

claims to help soothe sore muscle and help skin:  Magnesium is used in the body to help muscle contract and relax. Magnesium is found in trace amounts in Himalayan Salt. Considering that your body needs (on average) 400mg of Magnesium a day, the 1g found in Himalayan Salt is insignificant.

Salt is already antimicrobial and can aid in skin care. Bathing in any kind of mineral bath can have benefits for people with acne and other skin conditions.

Used as a light:

Some people claim that Himalayan Salt has the ability to create negative ions and purify the air around you. While this sounds nice in theory there has yet to be a study that I've found that proves this.

Bottom Line?

Like most things in life, don't believe the immediate hype. That is just marketing at it's best. At the end of the day, Himalayan Salt is 98% the same as regular table salt. The 2% difference is so insignificant and doesn't justify the money you're spending. If you are using it for baths and have some kind skin condition I would say it's worth a shot trying but don't hold your breath. Eat salt, not too much, and don't spend a lot of time stressing over what salt you get.