Why Do You Need To Switch Your Regular Salt With Rock Salt
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Salt is an essential part of the human diet. It is not only added to savoury dishes but also sweet ones like cake. We cannot imagine a meal without the presence of salt in it. Salt is also crucial for maintaining health. It is the main source of sodium and chloride in the diet and is important for nerve and muscle function along with maintaining blood pressure. There are more than twenty types of salt and the most common are iodised, pink, kosher, rock and black salt. Iodised salt and rock salt are two important condiments that are available in most kitchens, but have you ever thought which one is better and why?  

Iodised Salt

Commonly known as table salt, it is mixed with small amounts of sodium iodide or potassium iodide which is essential for health. Traces of iodine are also present in other sources like dairy products and sea food but salt is the most essential one. 

Health Benefits Of Iodised Salt 

  • According to WebMD, hormones like triiodothyronine and thyroxine are vital for regulating blood pressure, body temperature and heart rate. The thyroid gland relies on iodine for its production. Therefore, iodine is necessary for boosting thyroid function. 
  • Slow metabolism allows the body to store more fat that results in weight gain and iodine is essential for maintaining the metabolism level. 
  • Iodised salt also helps in removing harmful bacteria and toxins from the body and keeps the body hydrated. 

Rock Salt 

Also known as pink Himalayan salt, it is one of the purest salts and is found in the Himalayan mountains of South Asia. The salt is hand-extracted from this region and it is unrefined or minimally processed, that allows it to retain many minerals of Himalayas. 

Health Benefits of Rock Salt 

  • As it is mostly unrefined, the salt has traces of minerals like iron, zinc, and copper. 
  • Just like table salt, it also contains sodium but less quantity.
  • According to Healthline, rock salt contains electrolytes which are essential for muscle function and also help in improving muscle cramps. 
  • Rock salt is used as a home remedy in Ayurveda for various digestive problems like stomach pain and bloating. 

Iodised Salt vs Rock Salt

Apart from the colour and texture, rock salt contains a lot of minerals and is considered more pure than iodised salt. On the other hand, iodised salt contains additives and is refined to remove impurities. Rock salt contains more calcium as compared to regular salt but the quantity of sodium is less in rock salt. Many researches including Healthline state that apart from iodine presence in the table salt, there is no huge difference between the two salts and their properties. But rock salt is often more expensive than table salt.  

Therefore, if you want to switch to pure salt that has more minerals without additives i.e. rock salt, then make sure you get iodine from other sources or else your regular salt is enough to fulfill your flavour and health needs.