Risks and considerations
Bear the following points in mind if using pink Himalayan salt:

Iodine intake
Iodine is a mineral that the body needs for maintaining proper thyroid function and cell metabolism. Great sources of iodine include fish, sea vegetables, dairy, and eggs, among other foods.

Iodized salt is another common source of this trace mineral. Approximately 75 percent of households in the United States use iodized salt.

Although pink Himalayan salt may naturally contain some iodine, it most likely contains less iodine than iodized salt. Therefore, those who have iodine deficiency or are at risk of deficiency may need to source iodine elsewhere if using pink salt instead of table salt.
risks-and-considerations-of-pink-salt

Sodium intake
Although sodium is necessary for preserving life, it is important to monitor the intake of any type of salt. While sodium is necessary in small quantities, too much can have a negative impact on health.

Those with kidney, heart, or liver issues, or people on a sodium-restricted diet, should monitor their sodium intake and limit their use of all salt, including pink Himalayan salt.

Even people in good health should monitor sodium intake. A 2016 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that over 90 percent of children and 89 percent of adults consume more than the recommended amount of sodium.

Too much sodium
The 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that people eat less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily. This equates to approximately 1 teaspoon of regular table salt per day.

Those that have high blood pressure should limit sodium intake to 1500 mg per day. Speak with a dietitian to determine dietary changes that can be made to limit sodium intake.

Salt contains 40 percent sodium. When being conscious of sodium intake, it can be helpful to know how much sodium is in certain amounts of salt.

Certain quantities of salt contain the following amounts of sodium:

➨1/4 teaspoon salt: 575 mg sodium
➨1/2 teaspoon salt: 1,150 mg sodium
➨3/4 teaspoon salt: 1,725 mg sodium
➨1 teaspoon salt: 2,300 mg sodium
➨Most people consume much more than this.

When people take in more sodium than they need, their kidneys try to remove the excess through the urine. If the kidneys cannot remove enough sodium, it begins to build up in the fluid between cells, known as the interstitial fluid.

This causes both water volume and blood volume to increase, putting additional strain on the heart and blood vessels.

A number of serious health conditions are linked to high sodium intake, including:

➨high blood pressure
➨heart disease
➨stroke
➨liver damage
➨osteoporosis
➨kidney disease

Consuming too much salt might even contribute to autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis, as it overstimulates the immune system.

Research from 2015 suggests a direct link between salt intake and obesity, with a 1-g-per-day increase in salt intake being linked to an increase of over 25 percent in the risk of obesity in both adults and children.

The bottom line
At present, there is no scientific evidence to show that pink Himalayan salt provides more health benefits than regular table salt.

Replacing fine-grain table salt with crystals of pink Himalayan salt may help to reduce sodium intake, but, as with any other salt, be sure to enjoy it in moderation.

There is an excellent selection of pink Himalayan salt available to purchase online, with thousands of customer reviews.