Salt is a popular mineral essential for life that we cannot live without. There are several different types of salt besides the white table salt or common salt. They range from Sea salt, Himalayan Pink salt, Black salt, Smoked salt, Celtic salt, Kosher salt, Red Hawaiian salt and others.
As simple and inexpensive as it is, the very many benefits of salt makes it a must have item in the kitchen cupboard. Salt offers a variety of benefits but it is important to maintain an healthy intake as exceed salt intake would lead to salt poisoning. Doctors recommend about 2.5 grams of the standard table salt, approximately 1 teaspoon on a daily basis for an adult and less than 1 gram for young children. It is important to be aware that a huge amount of salt is already in most processed foods ranging from breakfast cereals, bread, and meats.
Salt is generally derived from water, whether it’s from fresh water, the sea or underground salt deposits. Regular table salt , which is common salt or otherwise known as Sodium Chloride is derived as a result of a process using additives whilst natural sea salt or rock salt comes directly from evaporated ocean water.
There are significant differences between the table salt and the sea salt but the most notable differences are as follows:
1. Texture
Sea salt is coarse in texture whilst table salt has a fine texture.
2. Production
Sea salt is a direct result of the evaporation of ocean water whilst table salt is produced from underground salt deposits
3. Colour
Whilst the table salt is only available in what colour, the sea salt is available in several colours ranging from white, pink, black to grey.
4. Minerals
In the case of sea salt, the minerals remain intact after processing whilst table salt is processed to remove minerals
Let’s take a closer look at the health benefits of Sea Salt below:
1. Tired Feet
Nothing beats socking your tired feet after a long day in a bowl of warm sea salt water. Due to the high content in magnesium in sea salt helps to relief pain and reduce swelling and swelling.
2. Body Rehydration
When the body is dehydrated after illness or disease like diarrhoea causing body weakness, doctors usually recommends an oral rehydration solution which is a simple blend of water sugar and salt to rehydrate the body and and compensate for the lost bodily fluids.
3. Dental Health
Mouth ulcers and early gum bleeding can be initially prevented by simple warm saltwater gargle, so several dentists say. It has always been the grandma remedy to gargle your mouth with saltwater twice a day to keep the germs away. It’s definitely a good way to stop bleeding even before visiting the dentist. Many dentists recommend saltwater gargle to help prevent cavities, heal mouth sores, sore throats and gum irritation.
4. Skin Care
Sea salt baths have been popular since the ancient times to date bath salts are still as popular. Most bath salts on offer today consists of mainly sea salts and have very known benefits. It helps restore the skin cells by eliminating the toxins in the skin opening up the pores for easy blood circulation. It’s a great skin softer as it helps to peel off the rough dry skin layer.
5. Rheumatoid Arthritis
The anti-inflammatory properties of Dead Sea salt are also found to help people dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. According to PubMed.gov a study on treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients saw patients divided into groups for 35 degrees Celsius hot salt baths daily for a month. The first group being the sea salt users and second the sodium chloride (common salt) users found a significant improvement in mobility in lab results compared to the sea salt group.
6. Exfoliation
The rough texture of the sea salt makes it great for skin exfoliation especially with a gentle scrub. The skin gets so seen and unseen particles that can be harmful especially with so much pollution in our world today. Health specialists, spas and bath houses always recommend the bath salts because it improves blood circulation and rejuvenates the skin.
7. Salt Water Flush
Sea salt is popularly used for a saltwater flush for the treatment of chronic constipation and colon cleansing. Drinking a glass of warm water with half a teaspoon of sea salt is known to have a laxative effect that may cause urgent bowel movements within the hour. This may vary person to person but many say that this removes parasites and toxins lurking inside the colon
Please Note:
All ailments and diseases must be discussed with your Heath Practitioner first and all the above are tips to enhance your wellness.
Source: Science Direct, Medical News Today, Pub Med, NHS, Medical Journals
