Himalayan pink salt is a type of rock salt found in the foothills of the majestic Himalayan range. It has become very popular for many uses, both ancient and modern. Many people use it to enhance the appearance of foods, add flavor and even healing properties. Although the salt was used by ancient Indians, it was not popular until the late 19th century when it became known as Pink Himalayan salt. The name Pink Himalayan comes from the color associated with the mineral content of the salt. Pink Himalayan salt has become extremely popular in the United States for its use as an alternative to table salt.
Pink Himalayan salt is natural volcanic rock salt mined from the foothills of the Himalayan range of Pakistan and India. The salt has a pinkish hue because of mineral impurities found in the rock salt. It’s primarily used now as a cooking salt, to replace normal table salt, but is also being used to create beautiful centerpieces, decorative salt lamps, and as spa additives. In fact, Himalayan salt was used for centuries as an infertility treatment because of its healing qualities. Today, it is one of the most popular natural ingredients in shampoos, face washes, hair sprays and even cosmetics.
Himalayan salt comes in two different forms. One type is the fine salt, which is similar to table salt. It’s better suited for cooking because of its high concentration of minerals. The pink salt, on the other hand, is much smaller and crystallized. Because of the smaller crystals, it has less of a concentration of minerals which makes it a better fit for food seasoning.
Both types of Himalayan salt can be purchased in stores, but the fine grade is usually more expensive than the crystal salt. The fine grade salt is used primarily for cooking, whereas the crystal salt is more commonly used for cosmetic or spa purposes. Pink Himalayan salt comes in four different grades, Mg, Pb, Ca and Cu.
Unlike regular table salt, Himalayan crystal salt does not have a large amount of additives and chemicals. It’s also free from man-made compounds such as nitrates and nitrites, which are commonly included in regular table salt. This pink salt doesn’t even have to be processed to increase its purity.
While the color of Himalayan salt is determined by natural mineral variations, manufacturers take advantage of this feature by adding in various additives. These include zinc, copper, tin and even lead. The fact that the salt crystals are naturally occurring makes the addition of additional elements virtually impossible to avoid. Even if one does manage to avoid these additives, they would still only make up a small percentage of the overall salt content.
One can easily distinguish Himalayan salt from pink salt by observing the molecular structure. Himalayan crystal salt is structurally more similar to diamond than to regular table salt. Because of this, when crystals of this salt are crystallized, they look pink. Pink salt is actually quite rare, so it’s rare to find this pink salt, making it an extremely valuable collector’s item.
Himalayan salt crystals come in a variety of colors. Pink salt can be found in shades of pink, ranging from pale pink to a deep, bright pink. No matter what type of Himalayan salt crystal one finds, it is crystal clear and has an almost “miracle” type of glow. This special light attracts buyers from all over the world who are drawn to the natural beauty of Himalayan salt.
Pink Himalayan salt has become a very sought after salt for jewelry and cookware because of its beauty, clarity, and uniqueness. Collectors value and enjoy their uniqueness. Salt crystals have become collectibles because of the beauty and rarity of each individual crystal. A pink salt crystal that is one thousand years old is worth a lot of money. This is not a salt that is manufactured or found anywhere. It comes only from the Himalayan Mountains.
Although Himalayan pink salt is now being widely mass-produced, it is still very high in quality and demand. There are many places on Earth where Himalayan salt is collected, but the highest amounts are located in the Himalayan Mountains. Pink Himalayan salt is harvested in the same way as regular salt is, from the mountains.
Since Himalayan salt crystals are formed at such great heights, they are usually crystal clear. The pink Himalayan salt is extracted by evaporating water into steam. As the water evaporates, it leaves behind a crystal of Hg (lavamide), which is the main element of salt. As the crystal is made bigger, more Hg is left in the crystal, making the salt more rare and valuable. The pink Himalayan salt is a member of the Beryl group of minerals, which include diamonds and emeralds.
