It's impossible to enjoy food without salt, but if taken in the excess amount it can be potentially harmful. That is why it is important to know which salt is better for us. Generally, there are three types of salt – common salt, rock salt, and black salt.
Common salt is prepared from the sea or brackish lake water, which then undergoes purification in a machine. Rock salt is mined from salt range mountains thus it is completely natural. Black salt is also similar to rock salt. All three salts are excellent sources of sodium chloride.
Which salt is better
Common salt contains 97% sodium chloride while 3% other ingredients are added during refining. Iodine is the primary ingredient among them and it is added to eliminate the possibility of goiter disease.
The rock salt is coarse and is found underneath the earth. It consists of about 85% sodium chloride, while the remaining 15% contains at least 84 types of elements including minerals such as iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese, magnesium, selenium etc. These minerals are beneficial for the body.
There is no need to add iodine in rock salt, but it has to be mixed in normal salt. Rock salt is mined naturally and therefore it is considered better for health. It is highly valued in Ayurveda in India. Many mineral substances dissolved in rock salt are also found in water.
Today the practice of purifying water for drinking has increased, due to which we do not get the minerals found in the water. This is the reason why nowadays the trend of rock salt has increased.
However, rock salt is relatively expensive and is coarse, due to which it does not mix properly in the food. But being coarse does not mean that it has not been refined. In fact, due to its coarseness, rock salt is considered more natural and healthy. The process of refining removes important minerals and that is why rock salt is considered better for consumption.
Better in treating certain ailments
Having a variety of minerals, rock salt is effective in preventing many diseases. It may aid in boosting skin and hair health Excessive use of common salt increases the risk of high blood pressure, inversely rock salt is used to control high blood pressure.
Similarly, it increases both immunity and stamina. Apart from this, it is helpful in treating sinus. When used in the right quantity, rock salt can help with reducing weight. People with insomnia and other sleep-related problems are advised to include rock salt in their diet.
Some people also use rock salt as a body scrub. It improves skin hydration while some people include rock salt in their hair care regimen. Rock salt proves to be very effective in cleaning gums. Rock salt makes up for the lack of magnesium that is responsible for migraine pain. In addition to enhancing immunity, rock salt also improves certain digestive ailments including, constipation.