Himalayan pink salt vs rock salt: Oncologist reveals the truth about your kitchen salt

Salt is a staple of every kitchen, and with an ever-expanding range of varieties now readily available — from Himalayan pink salt to rock salt and sendha namak — many people find themselves wondering which option offers the greatest health benefit.

Dr Jayesh Sharma, a Raipur-based oncologist with over 25 years of experience, addressed the question directly in an Instagram post on 1 June.

Which is the best salt?

According to Dr Sharma, the notion that one salt is meaningfully superior to another is fundamentally flawed. All varieties commonly available on the market are composed of between 97 and 99 per cent sodium chloride — the chemical compound that constitutes ordinary table salt.

"Whether it is rock salt, Himalayan salt, pink salt or sendha namak, the difference is basically of one or two percent," the oncologist stated. "Even the salts that boast about having 84 minerals, those minerals make up just one percent of the salt, and sometimes even less."

Whilst those trace minerals do enter the body, their effect on health is negligible. Dr Sharma offered a relatable analogy to illustrate the point.

"It is similar to finding a one-rupee coin lying on the road. While the person finding it will surely be richer by one rupee, the amount is not enough to make a major change in their life," he explained.

He also cautioned against the logic of eating more salt in pursuit of its mineral content. "The amount of minerals added to salt is so small that it does not even meet one percent of our mineral requirement. If we eat more salt just for the added minerals, then the increased sodium intake will do more harm than good," he said.

On the subject of anti-caking agents — additives that prevent salt from clumping — Dr Sharma noted these are present in quantities of less than one per cent and pose no meaningful health risk, regardless of claims circulating on social media.

The one mineral that actually matters

There is, however, one externally added mineral that carries a genuine and significant health benefit: iodine. In many parts of India, drinking water is deficient in iodine — an essential mineral for thyroid health — making its addition to salt particularly important.

Dr Sharma warned of the serious consequences of iodine deficiency. "And a bigger problem related to thyroid function is that the mental development of children is affected if there is an iodine deficiency within the child or the mother," he cautioned.

Insufficient iodine is also known to cause conditions such as goitre. For these reasons, Dr Sharma stressed that iodised salt should always be the preferred choice, regardless of its colour or variety.

The one salt with less sodium

Dr Sharma identified black salt — commonly used in chaat — as the only variety with a meaningfully lower sodium content, at approximately 90 per cent. The remainder consists of sulphur compounds, which give it its characteristic aroma.

"It has around 90 percent sodium, and the rest is sulphur compounds, which gives it its typical smell," he noted. Given that excess sulphur is associated with digestive issues such as gas and bloating, Dr Sharma advised against using black salt as a regular everyday option.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.