We mostly use black salt, also known as kala namak, to sprinkle it over the fruit chaat or a bowl of dahi. After all, it is known to enhance the flavour of everything. Black salt is also good for your health since it is high in calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which helps to strengthen your immune system. So, should you replace the white salt in your diet with black salt?

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that human bodies require 5 grams of sodium or salt each day. The most typical salt used to season food is white salt, although it’s not considered safe and healthy. It may increase the chances of kidney stones, headache, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, bloating, etc. You should replace or cut back on your intake of white salt if you encounter any of these issues. But what about black salt? Does it help and make you healthier?

HealthShots spoke to Deepti Lokeshappa, Msc Food Science and Nutrition, Senior Consultant-Clinical Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospital, Bengaluru, to find out which type of salt is better for your health.

Why do we need salt in our diet?

About 40 percent of sodium and 60 percent chloride is found in salt also known as sodium chloride. It adds taste to meals and serves as a stabiliser and binder. Due to the fact that bacteria cannot survive in high salt environments, salt also serves as a food preservative. A little amount of sodium is needed by the human body to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and keep the right ratio of water and minerals. If we discuss the many varieties of salt, including white salt, sea salt and Himalayan pink salt are also its types.

Is black salt healthy?

Black salt is that one ingredient in your food whose significance and nutritional value is very rarely discussed, even though it is commonly used in Indian food preparation. Here are 7 reasons why black salt is good, according to Lokeshappa:

1. Rich in nutrients: Black salt is rich in antioxidants and has extremely low sodium levels.

2. Reduce stomach issues: Black salt helps the liver with bile production which can help in reducing the occurrence of problems like heartburn or bloating as it helps in controlling acid levels in the body.

3. Prevent muscle spasm: Black salt also contains good amounts of potassium which is good for your muscle health as it reduces spasms.

4. Reduce blood glucose: Black salt is good for patients who suffer from diabetes or hypertension as it helps in reducing blood glucose levels and increased blood pressure levels.

5. Help in weight loss: Black salt is also ideal in helping you lose weight as it helps in lowering sodium intake by also preventing water retention and bloating.

6. Prevent constipation: Black salt is also known to help with problems such as constipation, when consumed with ingredients such as ginger and lemon juice.

7. Reduce fatigue: Black salt can help in treating cracked skin and rejuvenate you in no time. It will drive away your fatigue and you’ll feel refreshed.

Is black salt better than white salt?

Doctors recommend swapping your white salt with black salt for various health benefits. Here’s why you should replace your white salt with black salt:

1. Firstly, white salt possesses multiple additives as it undergoes multiple stages of processing, on the other hand, black salt undergoes minimal-to-no processing and is mostly available in its natural form.

2. Additives are added to normal salt to avoid the formation of lumps and because black salt is not processed it tends to form lumps over time. These additives can be harmful.

3. White salt contains very high levels of sodium which is known to increase blood pressure and cause other health problems, whereas black salt has very low levels of sodium.

4. Normal salt is quite rich in minerals, however, minerals in salts cannot be easily absorbed by the human body, black salt, on the other hand, has very low mineral content.

5. Black salt is known to help in digestion, while white salt can increase the issues.

So, choose black salt over white!