Salts are one of the essential ingredients of the human diet. The main substance of any salt is sodium, potassium, magnesium, and other salts of this group. Sodium acts as an electrolyte which helps in carrying the functions of the nervous system and regulation of fluids in our body.
No matter how small the quantity of salt we add in our food, our food remains incomplete without it. Saltiness is one of the five human tastes. A small amount of salt in our food does wonders. It keeps our blood pressure in check.
It also helps in the prevention of heart-related diseases, kidney diseases, serious illness, and strokes. Thus, the role of salt in our diet is essential. This also implies that human can not function without the consumption of salts in their food.
There are many types of salts such as normal white table salt which is used most commonly in our food items, kosher salt usually used for koshering salt, pink Himalayan salt and black salt, etc. In this article, we will mainly discuss black salt uses. Also, if you need to know the advantages of salt and why do we need them.
More about Black Salt
You must have heard your mother saying ‘Kala Namak’ in the kitchen. Black salt is commonly known as ‘Kala Namak’ in India. Black salt is one of the most common ingredients in almost all Indian households. There are several types of black salts but most common is Himalayan Black Salt which is mostly used for cooking. Other salts are black lava salt and black ritual salt.
This salt is formerly produced from halite mines from the Himalayan ranges of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It is also manufactured from salt lakes of India and Nepal. Black salt is mainly composed of sodium chloride and impurities of sodium sulfate. Sodium chloride gives it that salty taste and hydrogen sulfide gives it a distinctive smell.
The crystals of the salt appear black however they are grounded into a fine powder which is pink in color. All these compounds give black salt a unique taste and a very peculiar smell. All these features of black salt make it one of the most used salts in daily routine and highly propitious.
How to use Black Salt in cooking?
Black salt has much more distinctive tastes in its flavor than the regular salt, giving the food characteristic aroma and taste.
Black SaltBlack salt is widely used in India Chaats and Chaat masala (Indian spice) that immediately enhances its tastes. People usually sprinkle it on their salad to highlight the taste. Black lava salt is believed to be best for giving smoky flavor to your food. It is used as finishing salt, sprinkled on your food giving it a smoky and earthy texture. Due to its distinctive smell which is somewhat similar to eggs, black salt is extensively used in vegan cooking to give that aroma of eggs. Overall we can infer that black salt acts as an instant taste upgrader for any dish.
Health Benefits of Black Salt
Apart from having been widely used in cooking because of its unique flavor, there have been many claims regarding its health benefits. Ayurvedic healers claim that Himalayan black salt has therapeutic properties.
Some interesting uses of black salt are:
- It aids in weight loss: Yes, you read that right! Since black salt contains less sodium as compared to regular table salt, which is the main cause of water retention and bloating, it makes for a good alternative if you’ve been trying to shed those extra kilos this summer.
- It can prevent muscle cramps: Black salt contains small amounts of potassium, which is crucial for proper muscle functioning, and it helps the body absorb minerals, which can be helpful in preventing muscle cramps.
- Improves the quality of your hair: The essential minerals in black salt are believed to enhance hair growth, prevent split ends, and help in strengthening weak hair. It can also help reduce hair fall, help your dandruff problems, and help you get that shine in your hair you’ve always wanted.
- It works as a great cleanser for your skin: Though there is no formal research to support this claim, many users have verified that adding a small amount of black salt in your face scrub can impart a glow to your skin. This is because the granular texture helps unclog the pores, getting rid of the fine oiliness that your scrub cannot remove.
- Works wonders for Acidity and Heartburn: Black Salt has been described in Ayurveda as a very good cure for acidity and heartburn. It is advised to use it with coriander seed powder, cumin seed powder, and fennel seed powder in equal proportion to reduce acid reflux and balance acid proportion in the stomach.
- Helps with digestion: it is believed that black salt helps with bloating effects and gas problems. It also helps in the loosening of stools and bowel movements. It also provides laxative effects.
- Black ritual salt is believed to have magical abilities which can fight from negative spirits. Black ritual salt is not used for consumption. It is kept in jars to handle and manage negative vibes. Though, no medical science has given this a green flag. But it is widely believed in many cultures, especially Indian culture.
- Used as alternative normal table salt: black salt is much less iodized than normal salt which makes it much healthier than it. Iodized salt can be highly harmful to one’s health.
- Reduces water retention: due to much less sodium as compared to other salts black salt is very beneficial to cure water retention in your body.
- Helps with blood circulation
- Great for detoxifying your body: just mix one teaspoon of black salt in warm water and drink after you wake in the morning. This will help you to flush out all the toxins from your body.
All these health benefits are not medically claimed but have shown their effects over time. Thus black salt uses does much more good to your body than you think!
Also read: Why Do People Have Salt Cravings?
