What Is Black Salt and What's It Used For?

We're going to show you what black salt is, a condiment with benefits that you can include in your dishes to take advantage of its properties.

Written and verified by the nutritionist Saúl Sánchez Arias.

Last update: 19 September, 2022

Black salt, or Hawaiian salt, is a condiment that could bring a number of health benefits, if consumed in moderation in the context of a varied and balanced diet.

It’s a type of unrefined salt that has a volcanic origin, which gives it a number of special properties. It has a lower flavor-enhancing power than common salt and has no smell, although it does have an intense black color.

Before we begin, we should point out that in order to maintain a good state of health it’s essential to balance the consumption of sodium with that of potassium. These minerals have antagonistic effects on blood pressure control, so a balanced intake will improve the homeostasis of the cardiovascular system. In this way, many chronic and complex pathologies could be prevented.

Benefits of black salt

Black salt is composed of minerals such as sulfur, iron, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and various sulfur compounds. This gives it special nutritional and organoleptic properties.

However, we shouldn’t forget that sodium intake continues to generate considerable controversy within the scientific community due to its role in cardiovascular pathology. This is confirmed by a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

In general terms, refined salt should be avoided. As with sugar, this product loses part of its quality when industrialized. In this case, it could lead to alterations in the body’s internal homeostasis, resulting in an increased risk of organs not functioning efficiently. However, black salt may have a number of special benefits.

It improves the appearance of skin and hair

Many of the minerals concentrated in black salt may help to improve the appearance of skin and hair. In fact, when both these elements suffer from weakness, micronutrient supplements are often recommended to restore their vitality. However, the evidence here is limited, so some caution should be exercised with this type of information.

It should also be noted that good quality sleep is closely related to skin appearance. It will be necessary to ensure 7 or 8 hours of quality night’s rest each day to optimize the body’s repair processes. HERE

Prevention of type 2 diabetes

Very low levels of sodium in the body could be related to a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes. This element is essential for the body as it’s involved in a number of different physiological processes. For this reason, it’s necessary to ensure that the daily requirements are covered, but no more. This is evidenced by research published in Diabetes & Metabolism.

However, to prevent the development of this type of metabolic problems, the best thing to do is to improve lifestyle habits in general. Not only should we take care of our diet, but frequent physical exercise will make a difference. In this sense, strength work has shown great benefits on physiological function and on the state of body composition.

How to include black salt in your cooking?

Using black salt is quite simple. It’s enough just to include it routinely in dishes, replacing common sea salt. It will change the organoleptic characteristics of the dishes, making them much more appetizing in some cases. On the other hand, it’s important to bear in mind that the power to enhance the flavor is lower. To achieve the same result, a larger amount may be needed.

Black salt, a quality seasoning

As you have seen, black salt is a quality seasoning that can be included in the diet with some frequency. It improves the supply of minerals, essential elements to ensure the efficiency of the body’s internal physiology.

Thanks to these minerals, it will be possible to reduce the incidence of many chronic and complex pathologies, thus achieving homeostasis. However, as with common sea salt, it isn’t advisable to overdo it with its consumption.

Finally, we should mention that the use of seasonings in the diet is highly recommended by experts in nutrition. Not only salt as such, but also culinary spices can provide a high amount of phytochemicals with antioxidant activity.

These elements neutralize the formation of free radicals and their subsequent accumulation in the body’s tissues. This mechanism is associated with a delay in aging, among other benefits.