The Himalayan Salt Myth

At Juice Doctor, we do not support the notion that adding salt to a hydration drink is “necessary”, because 90% of Americans already get way too much salt from their food. 

The data has shown that Military personnel who carry heavy back packs in a hot environment, for 4-6 hours, DO NOT have low sodium levels when a blood test is completed at the end of the training session. 

Why is this? Because our kidneys are hydration heroes and can adjust keep blood sodium levels normal, and maintain equilibrium.

One thing we often hear is that Himalayan salt has benefits that go beyond “regular salt.” With so many claims of benefit being circulated online, we wanted to check it out for ourselves.

Here’s what we found:

Himalayan salt is a naturally occurring rock salt, primarily composed of sodium chloride, with trace amounts of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium. Analytical studies have demonstrated that Himalayan pink and black salts contain a wider range of trace minerals compared to conventional table salt.  

HOWEVER - the concentrations are generally low and do not provide meaningful nutritional benefits at typical dietary intakes. To achieve a beneficial intake of these minerals, consumers would need to exceed 30 g per day, which would result in excessive sodium intake and increased risk of hypertension and downstream cardiovascular complications. [1]

The mineral composition and crystalline structure of Himalayan salt may vary by geographic origin and processing, but these differences do not confer established health advantages over other salts. [2][3][4]

Juice Doctors Summary of the Evidence:

There is no evidence in the medical literature supporting claims of unique health benefits or therapeutic effects from Himalayan salt compared to other dietary salts. The presence of potentially harmful non-nutritive minerals, such as lead, has been detected in some samples, raising concerns about safety and the need for regulatory oversight. Current consensus is that Himalayan salt should be consumed within recommended daily sodium limits.

(Reminder: As per the USDA - 90% of Americans exceed the recommended daily intake, and 50% of Americans get 20x more than what they need)


References

1. An Analysis of the Mineral Composition of Pink Salt Available in Australia. Fayet-Moore F, Wibisono C, Carr P, et al. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). 2020;9(10):E1490. doi:10.3390/foods9101490.

2. Structural Characterization of Himalayan Black Rock Salt by SEM, XRD and in-Vitro Antioxidant Activity. Chander V, Tewari D, Negi V, et al. The Science of the Total Environment. 2020;748:141269. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141269.

3. Mineral Composition, Crystallinity and Dielectric Evaluation of Bamboo Salt, Himalaya Salt, and Ba'kelalan Salt Content. Meng CE, Sharifah Robiah Mohamad CW, Mohd Nasir NF, et al. Heliyon. 2024;10(1):e23847. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23847.

4. δS and Geochemical Analyses for the Determination Of, and Discrimination Between, Salt Samples of Different Geographic Origin: A Feasibility Study. Horacek M. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). 2023;12(8):1572. doi:10.3390/foods12081572.