The Real Reason Himalayan Salt Is Pink

Although salt is certainly a staple item in your kitchen pantry and on the dinner table, this basic ingredient can get complex quickly. For one, there's a lot of different types of salt to choose from, like Kosher salt and specialty gourmet salts. The most common use for salt isn't even in the kitchen – salt is most often used for de-icing highways. But for most of us, we're using it regularly to season our food.

If you've been shopping for salt, there's one particular variety that might have caught your eye. Pink Himalayan salt stands out over regular old white table salt on grocery store shelves, but what exactly gives this salt its vibrant color?

According to HowStuffWorks, the color in pink Himalayan salt comes from minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron. Now that you know why Himalayan salt is pink, you might be wondering if these particular minerals make Himalayan salt a healthier and more beneficial choice than your usual sea salt.

Foods like leafy greens are a good addition to your diet, and one reason for this is because they contain a variety of vitamins and minerals. But even though pink Himalayan salt contains minerals, it's not necessarily a better choice for your body than your usual salt. According to WebMD, there isn't any research that demonstrates that eating Himalayan salt has greater health benefits than other types of salt, and the amount of minerals in pink salt isn't high enough to be a better option for health purposes.

Time reported that some people think pink Himalayan salt tastes better, and since you need salt in your diet, there's nothing wrong with picking this over white salt. Just keep in mind that there's little nutritional difference to eating Himalayan salt.

No matter what salt you decide to use to cook with and season your food, make sure that you don't go above and beyond with your sodium intake. Here's what happens when you eat too much salt.