Widely known as “Kala Namak“, there are innumerable benefits that black salt offers in multiple ways. The health benefits of black salt make it a perfect addition to the food and for seasoning various dishes.
Black salt in its solid form resembles dark brown coloured crystalline salt lumps, and upon grinding, the black salt powder looks pinkish in colour. As it is extracted from the Himalayan region in India and Pakistan, it is also known as Himalayan black salt.
You must have heard your grandmother recommending the black salt for the different stomach issues. Well, it’s because black salt is not just a tasteful kitchen ingredient, rather, it is the key to numerous health benefits.
What Makes Black Salt Unique?
Instead of extracting from sea water, black salt is extracted from a unique volcanic rock, and thus, it’s also known as Indian volcanic stone salt.
Owing to the presence of iron and other minerals, the salt gets the pinkish grey colour. Also, it is rich in a unique sulphurous component, which is very healthy.
Black salt majorly comprises of the sodium sulphate, sodium chloride, ferrous sulphate, magnesia, ferric oxide and greigite. When compared to the table salt, the black salt possesses larger traces of magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
Unlike the table salt, the black salt is low in sodium, and that’s why it is recommended to the people with high blood pressure. Also, the black salt boosts the overall digestive system.
Health Benefits of Black Salt
1. Cures Bloating and Gastritis
Black salt can provide relief from the bloating and gastritis. It improves the digestion and helps you get rid of the gas, the major cause of bloating.
Also, when you replace the table salt in your meals with the black salt, you reduce the intake of sodium, which is one of the causes behind water retention in the body. Water retention can also cause bloating.
What To Do?
- Simply enhance the intake of black salt in your diet to get rid gastritis and bloating.
2. Aids Digestion and Cures Heartburn
As black salt is alkaline in nature, it efficiently balances and neutralises the acid produced in the stomach causing the heartburn.
The minerals present in the salt are a result of the high exposure to heat which it has gone through during its formation, and thus, it offers the perfect solution to acidity.
- Simply add the black salt to your food or salads, or add a pinch of black salt to a glass of water, and drink it to get relief from the heartburn.
3. Wards Off the Intestinal Gas
Black salt is a renowned remedy for the gastric troubles. It can improve digestion and reduce acid reflux significantly while curing the bloating caused by the gas.
To get instant relief from the intestinal gas, you can use the black salt.
- Put some black salt in a copper vessel, and put it on the flame to roast the salt. Wait till it changes its colour and takes it off the flame. Now, mix the roasted black salt in some warm water a drink it to get effective relief from the intestinal gas.
4. Helps in Curing the Respiratory Issues
If you have been suffering from a sore throat or a clogged nose, you can try inhaling the black salt. It is known to cure a number of respiratory issues including allergies, sinus, and asthma etc.
- Put some black salt in your inhaler, and inhale it twice a day.
5. Acts An Effective Laxative
If constipation is what that’s bothering you, then you can get relief from it with the help of black salt.
- Cut some ginger juliennes, and mix them with black salt and lemon juice. Take them with your food and it will not only aid the digestion but will also help you overcome constipation.
- You can also take some black salt in a glass of water to cure constipation.
6. Relieves Cramps and Muscle Spasms
Muscle cramps can be easily treated with the black salt. As it contains potassium, which is important for the proper functioning of the muscles, it provides significant relief from muscle spasms and cramps.
It also enables proper absorption of potassium in the body.
- Simply enhance the intake of black salt in your diet to keep the cramps and spasms at bay.
7. Helps in Keeping Diabetes Under Control
Black salt is one of the best ways to keep your blood sugar levels in check. By replacing the white table salt with the black salt, you can keep your diabetes under control.
8. Prevents Osteoporosis
Well, it might be surprising but our bones contain the one-fourth the total salt in our body. Apart from calcium, salt is an important part of the bone composition. This is why salt provides strength to our bones.
Osteoporosis is a health condition in which our body starts extracting the sodium stored in the bones. Thus, by enhancing the intake of black salt, you can prevent the osteoporosis.
- Add a pinch of black salt to a glass of water, and drink it to prevent osteoporosis.
9. Helps in Preventing Depression
Black salt can help in preventing and treating many types of depressions. By aiding the preservation of two hormones, serotonin and melatonin, it enables us to sleep peacefully. An unhindered and peaceful sleep can help in fighting against depression.
10. Works As The Skin Cleanser
Black salt is rich in skin cleansing properties, and its usage on the skin helps you attain an amazing glow. It also helps the skin to get rid of excess oil, opens up the clogged pores and fights against acne.
- Add a pinch of black salt to your face scrub or cleanser to get the best results.
11. Can Be Added to the Bath Tub
Some black salt can be added to your bathing water as it offers several benefits. However, ensure that the water is not very hot, as it may make the skin too dry.
The black salt in the bathing water works magically against swollen feet, cracked heels, warts, athlete’s foot, sprains, sensitive skin and the body acne. It also helps you get rid of the muscular pain and lets you relax.
12. Effective Relief For Babies Against Many Ailments
Black salt is exceptionally good for babies. Babies often suffer from phlegm coagulation, gastric troubles and indigestion. Black salt can provide effective relief from all these issues.
- Adding a pinch of the black salt to the babies’ regular food can cure the gastric issues and indigestion.
- To treat a cough in babies, you can give an inch of black salt with some honey or simply give the grains of the black salt to chew.
13. Control the Cholesterol
Black salt aids in thinning the blood, and it enhances the proper circulation of blood throughout the body, and thus, reduces the blood pressure and cholesterol.
So, if you have been suffering from high cholesterol levels, you must replace your white table salt with the black salt.
14. Offers Therapeutic Benefits
As the black salt possesses cooling properties and therapeutic properties, it can help our body organs in multiple ways. Also, it does not increase the sodium content in the blood, which is why it helps to maintain good eyesight and improving it.
What To Do?
- Though, there aren’t many risks associated with the black salt, but if you take it in excess, it my cause health problems.
- If you are suffering from thyroid, and need iodine, you might consider taking white table salt as well, because black salt is low in iodine.
Use Black Salt in Cooking and To Season Salads
The uses of black salt in cooking are so many, that, if you are cooking your food without the black salt, you are certainly making your food devoid of some essential minerals which enhance our health naturally in many ways.
Black salt benefits weight loss and eliminates various stomach & digestion related problems effectively.
Owing to these benefits, it’s a must have kitchen ingredient.
