Salt, a humble pantry staple, has recently transformed from a simple seasoning to a symbol of wellness and luxury. Pink Himalayan salt, black salt and sea salt are now marketed as health tinctures, each promising unique benefits. But when we strip away the hype, we find that they are all sodium chloride, with only minor differences in texture, colour and trace minerals. So are we falling for the drama or is there real value to these “special” salts?

Pink Himalayan salt, harvested from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, has been used for centuries in the Himalayan region due to its easy availability. While it was traditionally valued for its trace minerals and preservation qualities, the scientific evidence supporting the health benefits of pink salt is minimal. The trace minerals it contains are present in such small amounts that they don’t offer any significant health impact.

Black salt or kala namak, has a distinct role in culinary traditions to aid digestion and relieve bloating. It is often used in concoctions, digestive churans & is a common ingredient in Indian street food, chaats and spice blends. While black salt does contain trace amounts of minerals like iron, its real value lies in its role as a digestive aid, favour enhancers but cannot be seen as a substitute for white salt.

Coming to our regular table salt, it does more to our health than meets the eye. It provides the essential dose of iodine that is crucial for thyroid function, metabolism, and child development. It plays an essential role in cognitive development, especially during pregnancy and early childhood. Inadequate iodine can lead to developmental delays, lower IQ levels, and even physical health issues such as thyroid enlargement. Fortified salt with iodine is the most effective way to prevent the deficiency of iodine and this was a mandate passed in 1960 when the country was grappling with rising cases of goitre.

The rise of pink Himalayan salt, black salt, and other exotic salts can be partly attributed to three factors:

Marketing Gimmick: Premium salts are marketed as better options, capitalizing on the vulnerability of health-conscious customers. They feed into the notion that “the higher the price, the healthier the product,” which in turn drives up prices further as demand grows. Great strategy!

Western Influence in India: Indians have this thing about anything that comes from the West. Even age-old ingredients like ghee and turmeric made their way back home, rebranded as “superfoods.” Pink salt is no different. It started as a wellness trend in the West, pushed by meditation and health enthusiasts. And now, it’s made a full U-turn, coming back to India as the latest “must-have” health product.

Influencers and Sensationalism: Health influencers often sensationalize everyday practices, spreading fear and myths about common products like regular salt. This drives people to chase after trendy alternatives, even when there’s little scientific evidence to support their supposed benefits.

Eventually, it is us who need to keep a strong head over those shoulders and not fall for everything that is out there. With social media being such an influence and influencers micro-influencing everything else, it is difficult, but that is the way it is. For Indians, our sundar sasta tikau regular namak is all we need!