When saltwater from a sea or lake evaporates, leaving behind colored sodium chloride crystals, sendha namak is created. It is also known as rock salt, halite, or saindhava lavana. Although Himalayan pink salt is one of the most well-known forms of rock salt, there are several more. Sendha namak is great for keeping your skin and hair healthy.
Sendha namak is beneficial to one’s health since it lowers nail yellowing, relieves stress, battles respiratory ailments, digestive issues, purifies the air, boosts metabolism, and treats sinusitis.
Sendha Namak can come in a variety of colors, including grey, yellow, orange, red, pink, dark blue, and light blue, depending on the impurities present. Borates, halides, and sulfides are common companions. Sendha Namak, also known as halites, may be found in almost every country. The one discovered in France appeared to be filled with purplish fibrous vein filling.
Sendha Namak crystallizes swiftly in rapidly evaporating lakes, resulting in modern artifacts with halite encrustations or coatings.
Although there are no special medical benefits to pink salt, the human body requires salt in its diet for a variety of reasons. For example, preventing dehydration is not a major concern for the average westerner because food and water are plentiful, and we are exceedingly unlikely to die of thirst in our daily lives.
How is Sendha Namak made?
Sendha namak is, without a doubt, India’s purest rock salt. Because it is not chemically treated like table salt and lacks iodine, it is only offered in limited quantities and is highly expensive.
Furthermore, table salt is ground into a fine powder, whereas sendha namak has a granular texture, consisting of large, rough crystals with a milder saline flavor.
Sendha Namak is made from salt domes found in the United States, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, India, Romania, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and France. They are found in large beds of evaporated sedimentary minerals that form when confined seas, playas, lakes, and other bodies of water dry up.
It is generated by the evaporation of dissolved sodium and chloride ions in salty water (such as seawater). Dry lake beds, places once covered by the sea, inland peripheral seas, enclosed bays, and other locations are common. Salt piles form and are buried in regions where there was once an ocean.
Salt, which is light in weight, tends to rise, whereas hard rocks and other ores, which are heavy, tend to sink. The salt beds “punched up” through the deposits to form dome-like structures as a result of this.
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Rock Salt Vs. Normal Salt
Salt is an essential component of our diet that provides flavor to food, but too much of it can lead to a variety of health issues, including high blood pressure, obesity, inflammation, and more.
Though you should limit the amount of salt you consume each day, you should also consider which type of salt is best. Although most of us use table salt daily, many people believe that rock salt is a healthier alternative.
- Table salt is a white or colorless powder that we use to season our food. Rock salt, on the other hand, has a pinkish hue and is frequently found in crystals. It is the mineral form of sodium chloride and is also known as halite. Table salt is refined to remove contaminants and is treated with additions and chemicals such as anti-caking agents.
- On the other hand, rock salt does not go through this process. Although, both salts have a nutritional value that is more or less comparable before the ordinary salt is processed further.
- When this transpires, the majority of the salt’s naturally occurring minerals are eliminated. Furthermore, natural salt is not quite white, but common salt gets too white due to chemical processing.
- This may fulfill our desire for purity in everything white, but the fact is that this is precisely what causes us suffering. Not to mention the fact that table salt is made by heating a flaky residue of crude oil to a high temperature of 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, where it loses its minerals as a result of the heat.
- To make it more appealing, several fake manufacturers may add synthetic compounds and iodine. Plus, preservatives like aluminum hydroxide (which can injure the brain over time) and anti-caking compounds like sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate (which prevent clumping) weaken it even more
- Rock salt, on the other hand, is made from the evaporation of seawater or water from saltwater lakes and is not as processed as table salt.
Nutritional Value of Sendha Namak
The unprocessed variety, i.e. rock salt, has more minerals than table salt since calcium, potassium, and other minerals are lost during the refining process.
Table salt, on the other hand, contains more iodine than rock salt, which helps to avoid goiter, a disease caused by a lack of iodine.
Sodium chloride is the most common constituent, accounting for up to 98 percent of the total. It has a lot of valuable minerals and elements in it.
Iodine, Lithium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Zinc, Strontium, and other elements are also present. The iodine content of table salt is higher than that of rock salt.
If you’ve been told to eat a low-iodine diet, rock salt is a preferable choice. Iodine is found in raw milk, cheese, yogurt, potatoes, seafood, prunes, eggs, and other foods.
These essential components help the body perform a variety of tasks, including increasing metabolism, maintaining electrolyte balance, ensuring regular blood circulation, strengthening bones and muscles, and ensuring smooth nerve signaling between organs and tissues. This ensures optimum health and protects against a variety of illnesses and deficient conditions.
Uses of Sendha Namak
1. It is used for making salt lamps:- A light bulb is placed inside big chunks of pink Himalayan salt to create salt lamps. They believe the lamps can improve mood, sleep, allergies, asthmatic patients’ breathing, and purify the air, among other things.
2. It is commonly used as a gritting salt for ice and, to a lesser extent, snow management in both home and municipal settings. It can help prevent snow from settling, but it’s best used after the snow has been plowed to keep walks, roads, driveways, and steps from icing. It operates by producing brine, which is a salt-water solution. This has a lower freezing point than regular water, thus adding salt over ice, whether white or rock salt, can melt it.
3. It can also be used as a powerful weed killer. When applied in tiny amounts, sodium chloride is perhaps the most environmentally friendly chemical weed killer available.
10 Benefits of Sendha Namak
These off-white to pinkish hardened pebbles, which are naturally rich in minerals including calcium, zinc, iron, copper, and potassium, have laxative effects to promote digestion as well as therapies characteristics to ease a cough, cold, and respiratory ailments.
These elements keep you healthy and powerful by performing numerous body processes. We’ve compiled a list of several rock salt advantages-
1. It aids digestion:- Constipation, heartburn, bloating, stomach discomfort, and other digestive issues can all be helped with rock salt.
Minerals and vitamins in rock salt aid digestion, increase bowel movements and aid in the removal of hazardous substances from the colon. It also aids in the reduction of appetite loss. According to the findings, rock salt might promote insulin production in the body, which minimizes sugar cravings. Weight loss can also be aided by it.
2. Promotes metabolic activity:- The metabolism of your body is stimulated by it, which improves body function. Mineral and water absorption are aided by rock salt. It also aids in maintaining electrolyte balance without causing blood pressure to fluctuate. It also has a cooling impact on the inside organs of the body.
3. Immune system booster:- Vitamin K is abundant in it, which helps to strengthen your bones and enhance your immune system. It also improves bone metabolism, which helps to avoid a variety of ailments and disorders. The body’s immune system is substantially improved by rock salt, which contains all of the needed trace minerals. It fights harmful bacteria and aids in the prevention of infections.
4. Muscle spasms are relieved:- It is made up of sodium chloride in its purest form, as well as nutrients like potassium. Muscle cramps can be caused by electrolyte potassium and salt imbalances. As a result, rock salt can help to correct a potassium shortage while also preventing muscle cramps.
5. Sendha namak might help you lose weight:- Losing weight is a major worry among men and women, and consuming Sendha Namak can help a person lose weight and become slender. This occurs as a result of the minerals in Sendha Namak reactivating insulin and lowering sugar cravings. The less sugar a person craves, the less sugar he or she will consume. Daily consumption of Sendha Namak with lemon can assist to prevent weight gain and obesity.
6. Benefits of Sendha Namak for Skin Care:- Sendha Namak is well-known for its skin advantages. It aids in the comprehensive detoxification and cleansing of the skin.
The accumulation of dead skin cells can give our skin a dull and harsh appearance. Sendha Namak exfoliates these skin cells while also protecting all of the skin’s layers. This gives skin a healthy glow and a youthful appearance.
It also strengthens skin tissues and rejuvenates the skin, giving it a firm and youthful appearance. When you massage Sendha Namak into your skin, it refines it and removes all the dead skin cells that make your skin look dull and lifeless.
The nutrients and minerals contained in Sendha Namak or rock salt can reach the cells and control their absorption in the form of ions in your body. Because of the enhanced circulation, your skin will be healthier.
7. Sendha Namak helps to keep your nails from yellowing:- Sendha Namak possesses qualities that help to keep your nails in good shape. It also aids in the maintenance of white nails. Various disorders, discoloration, and repeated usage of low-quality nail paint can cause nails to turn yellow. Sendha Namak, can be used to minimize yellowing under the nails and give them a wonderful sheen.
8. Sendha Namak aids in the treatment of respiratory diseases:- Sendha Namak is beneficial to those who suffer from sinusitis, migraines, and other respiratory problems. Tonsil pain, dry cough, throat swelling, and soreness can all be relieved by gargling with Sendha Namak.
Sendha Namak can be dissolved in water and used as face steam for those suffering from ear and nose irritations, bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Or, dissolve it in water and breathe the steam for relief from a sore throat, dry cough, and tonsils.
9. Stress reliever:- In today’s world, stress has become increasingly frequent. It can be triggered for the tiniest of reasons, resulting in anxiety, despair, and a loss of appetite, among other things. Sendha Namak, according to studies, helps to calm both the mind and the body.
Sendha Namak can be mixed with any beverage or plain water and, when taken daily, can help to relieve anxiety and tension. Bathing in a hot tub filled with rock salt and water is a great way to reduce tension and feel rejuvenated. Melatonin levels are regulated by it, which regulates our sleep cycle.
Stress can be relieved and your brain activated by consuming a tiny bit of rock salt in soup or having a warm bath with rock salt. It has a calming impact and helps to relax your body and mind.
10. It encourages hair growth:- It cleans your hair without depleting it of its natural protective oils. Simply combine it with your regular shampoo and use it to wash your hair. To eliminate the residue, rinse with cold water.
It aids in the removal of all filth from hair as well as the prevention of dandruff and hair loss. Sendha Namak is essential for keeping your hair and scalp healthy. It has cleaning characteristics and so aids in the removal of dead skin cells and pollutants from the hair.
It also prevents the hair from losing its natural oils. It can also be used on the hair by combining it with shampoo. This will not only condition your hair but will also strengthen it and make it more resistant to breaking. It also aids in the removal of dirt from the scalp, leaving it lustrous and nourished.
Side Effects of Rock Salt
Although rock salt has many advantages, it also has some potential drawbacks. Iodine deficiency syndrome can be caused by completely relying on rock salt. Additionally, too much salt can cause high blood pressure, tiredness, and muscle weakness.
Because of its high salt content, Sendha Namak should not be ingested in quantities exceeding 6 grams per day.
Too much salt in our diet might be devastating to our health. It’s also a good idea to combine it with other spices and herbs. People with high blood pressure should avoid consuming Sendha Namak because it can be harmful to their health.
Some people falsely claim that it can assist lower blood pressure. However, this is not the case. Sendha namak should be avoided if you are on a sodium-restricted diet.
Conclusion
Sendha namak is a nourishing flavoring agent that may be used in cooking as well as a natural skin and hair care product that can be used topically. It’s an all-rounder that can help with a variety of diseases because of its mineral content and body cooling properties.
The changes will not occur instantly, but they will undoubtedly occur over time. Before totally replacing iodized table salt with sendha namak or rock salt in your diet, consult a doctor or nutritionist, as the latter does not include iodine and is hence not suggested for persons with iodine shortage.
FAQ
1. Is Kala Namak and Sendha Namak same?
Another type of Himalayan pink salt is Kala namak, or black salt. Rock salt is not Kala namak, contrary to popular belief. It is crystalline in structure salt that is referred to in Hindi as sendha namak.
2. Is Sendha Namak the same as pink Himalayan salt?
Yes, both are the same.
3. Why is sendha namak used in fasting?
During fasting, Sendha namak is good because it keeps the body cold from within, whereas other salts have a heated potency. Because sendha namak is low in sodium and high in potassium, it provides an energy boost by regulating your body’s electrolyte levels, which are crucial for keeping you going throughout a fast.
4. What makes Sendha Namak so prohibitively expensive?
Sendha namak is, without a doubt, India’s purest rock salt. Because it is not chemically treated like table salt and lacks iodine, it is only offered in limited quantities and is highly expensive.
5. Is it safe for a pregnant woman to take it?
Yeah, but please consult your doctor initially. It’s safe to use throughout lactation.
