What is that one ingredient that is vital for cooking? It’s table salt (sodium chloride)! It adds much-needed flavour to your favourite dishes. Not adding salt to most cooked dishes makes them bland in taste, something that is not easy on your tongue.

Moreover, table salt contains iodine (iodized table salt). Want to know why do you need iodine? It helps your body produce the right amount of thyroid hormones. Iodine also maintains the body’s fluid balance and regulates the function of the muscles and tissues. 

How much salt should you consume daily?

Very little actually! The World Health Organization suggests that you should consume 1.5 grams to 2.3 grams of table salt every day. But on average, we consume much more than that, especially people who have a habit of sprinkling salt into their food during meal times.

Within limits, iodized table salt is good for you. But when you exceed the daily quota, it can have terrible effects on your health. It will make your blood pressure shoot up. And what happens then? Heart problems, kidney disorders, and it affects your brain health too.

So, what’s the solution? Bring down your salt consumption. Alternatively, you can try these table salt alternatives to reduce the harmful effects of too much table salt.

Also Read: Celtic Salt Benefits: Uncovering Unique Health Advantages in Research

 1. Sea Salt

Sea salt is extracted when seawater is evaporated. It contains many of the minerals that are found in seawater. Why should you replace table salt with sea salt? 

• Sea salt enhances your immune system and prevents the common cold.
• Since it is unprocessed, sea salt does not contain any harmful chemicals.
• Are you gaining weight? This salt can help you lose weight.
• Sea salt can relieve many skin disorders.
• Sea Salt helps keep you hydrated.
• Sea salt aids in reducing fluid retention.
• Sea salt also prevents muscle cramps as it contains huge amounts of electrolytes.
• Due to its potent mineral content, sea salt is great for skin health and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Sea salt also helps to improve digestion.
• By providing the body with ample water and potassium, sea salt helps to improve cardiovascular health

 2. Rock Salt

This is one of the best table salt alternatives. You get this salt from crystals that are found in salt mines or underground deposits of minerals. It has the following benefits-

• Blocked nose? Rock salt can help drain the mucus.
• When you add it to your food, the food becomes more digestible.
• It speeds up your metabolism.
• Keeps your blood pressure stable.
• Keeps your blood pressure stable.
• Rock salt may aid digestion
• Using rock salt in a saltwater solution may help treat sore throats and other oral bugs.

Commercially available low sodium salt is another substitute. The use of low-sodium salt substitutes is increasingly considered as a potential blood pressure lowering strategy by national health authorities

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

 3. Himalayan Pink Salt

This salt is mined in the Himalayan regions. This salt is hand-extracted and minimally processed. Recently it has gained a lot of popularity all over the world because it contains nearly 84 different minerals. This slightly pink salt has many advantages-

• This salt can help you sleep better.
• It slows down ageing.
• Himalayan salt maintains the pH balance of your body.
• It does not allow blood sugar levels to escalate.
• The himalayan pink salt’s rich mineral content helps to detoxify the body.
• Himalayan pink salt may also help manage weight loss by burning fat and improving the metabolism of the body.
• It may also aid in treating sore throats and various other oral ailments.

Table salt is highly refined and devoid of any minerals, iodine is added back to the salt to counter iodine deficiency.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.

 4. Kala Namak or Himalayan Black Salt

Another alternative to table salt is black salt. It is extensively used for cooking in India, thanks to its unique taste.  It is this salt that makes your golgappa taste that good! Here are some more benefits:

• Black salt contains less sodium than common table salt, so it does not cause excessive water retention and high blood pressure.
• It can help improve eyesight. 
• Do you find it difficult to pass bowels? Consume black salt for its laxative properties.
• Himalayan black salt is also high in antioxidants.

We are not suggesting you replace common salt altogether with these table salt alternatives. Keep your salt consumption within limits and use the alternatives we have mentioned above to stay healthy and disease-free.

Also Read: The Health Perks of Green Salt: An Exploration into Its Benefits

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