Himalayan salt has lately become the talk of the town because of various reasons. Not only renowned chefs but also household cooks around the world have started using this salt instead of white regular salt for cooking and seasoning.
Salt is indeed an essential part of our daily diet, and our bodies require a regular intake of sodium for its proper functioning. Many people prefer using Himalayan salt for its unique properties. It’s an unrefined, pure, and mineral-rich salt. The mining of Himalayan rock salt from khewra salt mines is done with hands using old methods to preserve its natural color and shape.
If you are also using Himalayan salt, you must be intrigued about its beautiful color. You may wonder the reason behind different rock salt colors. Lucky for you, this article discusses different colors of Himalayan rock salt and the reason behind different hues of pink and red within the crystals.
Different Colors Of Pink Himalayan Salt
The Himalayan pink salt mine is located in Khewra, Punjab, Pakistan. This unique naturally occurring salt is free from darker-colored salt crystal additives or preservatives and doesn’t undergo any harsh post-processing, unlike iodized salt. Himalayan salt crystals are not homogenous in both shape and color; this is due to their raw natural form.
The Himalayan rock salt crystals vary in color from white to pink to deep red, and orange. The primary reason behind such variation in color is due to iron traces and 80 other minerals. The Himalayan salt crystals with rich iron content appear red and orange, while the crystals with fewer iron traces have a light pink and white appearance.
Summary
Himalayan salt has become very popular in recent times because of its pure, unprocessed, and mineral-rich nature. One of its distinctive features is the color of crystals that vary from light pink to dark pink with red and orange hues.
You can normally find the following types of Himalayan salt based on color.
White Himalayan Salt
The Himalayan salt that comes from the outer parts of the salt mine is generally white. However, it’s not very common and can be found mixed with pink and red crystals of Himalayan salt.
The iron content may be less in white Himalayan salt crystals, but the rest of the mineral traces and other characteristics of the salt remain the same.
White Himalayan salt is used to make salt lamps and doesn’t alter the effectiveness and healing properties of the lamps. The negative ions from the white salt lamps cleanse the air from harmful positive ions created by the electronics, such as TV, computer, and other devices. Similarly, these lamps also aid in alleviating respiratory issues, allergies, migraines, and other skin problems.
We all know that the white color symbolizes love, peace, and purity in metaphysics. So we simply can’t deny the healing and positive effects of the white Himalayan salt lamps.
Pink Himalayan Salt
The regular Himalayan salt crystals are pink in color with red and white tinges. It’s the most commonly available Himalayan salt used in daily cooking. Not only that, but the affordable pink salt lamps exhibit different shades of salt crystals in various shapes. This way, you can also enjoy the healthy and healing benefits of the pink rock salt, depending upon its use.
You can also take full advantage of the healing and soothing properties of the pink salt by making it a part of your daily skincare and beauty regimens. Yes, you can use the pink Himalayan bath salt and scrubs to exfoliate your skin and lock moisture inside. This way, you don’t have to spend hundreds of bucks buying expensive skin products full of chemicals; instead, you can simply use pink Himalayan salt as a scrub to make your skin healthy and acne-free.
On the other hand, when it comes to using the Himalayan salt for cooking, you will mostly find cooking blocks of pink color with a combination of white, orange, and red.
Red Himalayan Salt
Red Himalayan salt comprises orange, dark red, or reddish-brown crystals rich in iron content. Because of the attractive color, you can use it as a finishing salt to sprinkle on top of the salads, steaks, and other meals. In addition, if you want to make a good impression on your guests, you should use red Himalayan salt to improve the food presentation.
Black Himalayan Salt
Black Himalayan salt isn’t exactly black; instead, it contains reddish-grey salt crystals. It’s essentially a complex mineral compound rich in sulfur content. That’s why it leaves a very rich mineral taste on your taste buds. It is also mined from the khewra mines and contains a considerable amount of minerals.
It is known as Himalayan black salt but differs from Himalayan pink salt in color, taste, and mineral content. You can use black Himalayan salt to make authentic Indian cuisines. It is also very effective in treating many health-related problems such as heartburn, bloating, acidity, and indigestion.
Summary
Himalayan rock salt crystals have various color tones such as light to dark pink, reddish-brown, white, and black with pink hues. The color variation is due to the amount of minerals particularly iron present in it.
Uses Of Himalayan Salt Of Different Colors
No matter what the color of the Himalayan salt crystals is, all of them are rich in minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, fluoride, etc. Therefore, the healthy benefits of Himalayan salt are undeniable.
You can use the Himalayan salt for various purposes. Edible Himalayan salt can be used for seasoning all kinds of meals. Salt lamps can be used to create a relaxed and calm atmosphere in the home. All types of Himalayan salt lamps release negative ions; however, many people consider that darker colored lamps create a more soothing effect.
You will also find cooking salt blocks of pink color with an orange tone in many restaurants. These blocks are used for cooking, grilling, and presenting food items.
Bottom Line
You can find numerous types of salts in the market; however, Himalayan salt outshines the rest of them because of the additional naturally occurring minerals. Courtesy of the iron traces, the Himalayan pink salt gets its unique pink color with traces of red and white.
Many people consider darker-colored salt crystals rich in minerals and better for health; however, it’s certainly not the case. It’s because the color of the salt crystals is because of the Iron content.
You can use a mixture of different Himalayan salt colored-crystals to enjoy the healthy benefits of this wonder salt.