Rock Salt or Halite is commonly used in the kitchens. Other names are Table Salt, Sendha Namak or Kala Namak. The chemical formula is NaCl. It contains few impurities because of which its colour may vary. It can be colourless, white, light blue, dark blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow or grey as per the type and amount of impurities. It is different from the common white salt used in kitchens. Common white salt is the filtered one while rock salt is the purest form of salt. It is more granular with large crystals as compared to common salt and less salty as well.
In earlier times, this was used in the preparation of food a lot but now the common salt has replaced it with the help of a lot of commercials on TV. Although they show that their product is best for the health and provides health benefits but in reality, Sendha Namak, being less salty and having many minerals, provide many health benefits if consumed in place of Common Salt.
It is commonly used in making ice creams because it lowers the freezing point when packed. In winters, it is also applied to road beds to reduce the freezing point of water so that it should not freeze over at 0 degree C, helping the roads from getting jammed with ice.
If consumed in a routine or replaced with common salt, it can provide many health benefits to the body. Apart from improving the health, it is also very effective for skin and hair.
As it is the purest form of the salt which contains many minerals, therefore, those minerals are beneficial for our body. Different functions in the body are controlled by the salt such as water absorption, pH balance and flow of nutrients between tissue fluid and cells. The minerals present in the Rock Salt help in maintaining the balance between the functions of the body. Therefore, it can help in leading a healthy life.
- If you have a digestive problem, try replacing your common salt with rock salt. It is beneficial in improving appetite and decreases the problems like gas or heartburn.
- It helps in stabilizing the blood pressure by maintaining a balance between low and high blood pressures.
- It is helpful in weight loss by eliminating the fat dead cells and equalizing the minerals, as a result, the sugar cravings are reduced.
- Respiratory problems, sinus, sore throat, dry cough or tonsils can be treated with the help of it.
- The steam of the dissolved form in the water is inhaled to provide relief from asthma, bronchitis or ear and nose problems.
- Feeling uneasy with muscle cramps? Try drinking a solution of 1 spoon rock salt in 1 glass of water.
- By providing the essential minerals, it helps in improving the body’s immune system.
- It can pull the water vapour out of the air which ultimately reduces the airborne irritants, pathogens, and allergens. Place a salt lamp in your room and enjoy the pure air.
- Suffering from Edema? Try soaking your feet in a bucket of water mixed with rock salt and get rid of those swelled tissues.
- It can be used as a teeth whitener as well or mouth freshener. It can help you deal with bleeding gums. Mix a teaspoon of rock salt, Triphala powder, and neem powder, and massage it to the gums with a pinch of the mixture and rinse with water. It will provide a quick relief from pain.
- Intake a mixture of a pinch of rock salt and 1 teaspoon of ginger juice helps with the digestion problems.
- If used in bathing, by mixing a tablespoon of it in bath water, it soothes sore muscles, lowers the blood pressure, detoxifies the body and hence improves the sleep by relaxing the body.
You spend a lot of money in the salons or parlours to keep yourself glowing with a healthy skin. Ever thought that the secret trick can be present in your kitchen? Apart from consuming the rock salt, it can be applied to the skin in many ways and help you get a glowing skin by saving your bucks.
- Dead skin cells can give you a rough and dull look. Exfoliates your skin with the rock salt and get rid of the dead skin cells. Get a youthful and glowing skin.
- Not only for face, but you can also use it for the body scrub. Mix rock salt with honey or lemon and massage over your body to achieve a natural glow.
- It strengthens the skin tissues and makes the skin look younger.
- Too busy to try lemon or honey? Never mind. Mix a tablespoon of rock salt with your face wash or cleanser and use it for a glowing skin.
- If you have a dry skin, it can be the best solution for you. It doesn’t leave your skin dry after use. Therefore, it can be used for foot scrub or hand scrub.
- Worried about large pore on your face? Intake a mixture of rock salt, lemon, ginger juice every morning and evening, and notice the results in few days.
- Stop spending much for your manicure and give a try with the rock salt the help removing the yellowness under your nails giving them a shiny look.
It can be used as an ingredient in shampoos and many hair treatments.
- Mix it with your regular shampoo and use normally. Wash your hair and rinse with cold water. It removes the dirt and head skin cells from your scalp without making it dry as it keeps the essential natural hair oils with stripping them off.
- Facing problem of thin hair? Add an equal amount of rock salt with your conditioner and apply it on your hair. Keep it for 20-30 minutes and rinse with cold water. Thus, it can help in adding volume to your hair and make them look for bouncy and heavy.
As it is a basic ingredient, available in the kitchen, you can use it in your food habits instead of common salt. It can provide many health benefits if consumed in a proper amount. But as it is said, the excess of everything is harmful, so it does. As it is rich in sodium, consuming too much sodium can be dangerous for health as well. Hence, use it wisely and take its benefits.