Is posh PINK salt worth the expense?
From grating it over your spuds to bathing in it, would you pay for the latest (fairly pricey) fad...
ONCE, sprinkling sea salt crystals over your dinner instead of table salt was regarded as fancy. But suddenly, well-heeled cooks are upping the ante: displaying huge, sculptural lumps of salt in their homes, cooking on polished slabs of it – and even bathing in it.
Why? Well, the latest fashion is for Himalayan salt, which is rumoured to be healthy and – perhaps more importantly – is a pretty shade of delicate pink.
It is found in mountain caves in Pakistan, where layers formed 250 million years ago from a pollution-free sea.
Although it is around 98% sodium chloride (regular salt), it gets its colour – and healthy reputation – from minerals it contains, such as magnesium, iron and calcium.
The current craze started with lamps made from rough-cut Himalayan salt crystals, but now there are pink salt cooking slabs, kitchen tools, body scrubs . . . the list goes on.
The only catch? It retails at €50 a kilo, compared to 50 cents a kilo for table salt.
So, is it really better than ordinary salt – and which new gadgets are no more than a gimmick?
SALT GRATER Rivsalt Salt Rock and Grater, €22.50, yumbles.com
WHAT IS IT? A chunk of natural Himalayan pink salt with a super-sharp Japanese steel grater and an oak stand. Just grate the salt over your food. DOES IT WORK? It’s high quality, but smaller than I imagined. The pink salt creates a white dust, rather than pink flakes, when you grate it. ‘Many people are choosing pink salt because it contains minerals such as magnesium, iron and calcium, and so has the reputation of being healthier,’ says nutritional therapist Antonia Magor.
‘But those extra minerals are actually only there in very small amounts.’
This will make a chic gift. But it’s really just a fiddly alternative to a salt mill. 3/5
ADD FLAVOUR Salt House Himalayan Rock Salt Cooking Block, €41.60, lakeland.co.uk
WHAT IS IT? A 20 centimetre square, five centimetre thick block of pink salt. You heat it up on your hob or the oven, then use it to cook food, which should end up seasoned with ‘just the right amount of flavour’, says the manufacturer. DOES IT WORK? This beautiful, marbled slab has to be tempered before you use it – which meant 45 minutes warming it slowly on my hob.
Finally, I placed some unseasoned chicken and red pepper on the hot salt. Both cooked quickly and evenly. Scallops, too, browned beautifully and were seasoned perfectly. But wetter foods, such as tomatoes and thicker meat that needed longer, absorbed too much salt.
The slab takes an epic three hours to cool, but then requires only a scrub with a damp sponge and a pat dry, as salt has natural anti-bacterial qualities, says the manufacturer.
However, Antonia Magor warns: ‘It doesn’t give you any control over the amount of salt you’re adding to food.’ 3/5
CLEAR AIRWAYS Himalayan Salt Inhaler, €8.99, amazon.co.uk
WHAT IS IT? A ceramic pot of pink salt crystals with a spout that ‘provides a natural way to alleviate respiratory and sinus problems’. You put the spout in your mouth, then breathe deeply for 20-30 minutes to let microscopic salt particles get into your lungs and nasal passages, where they are said to loosen phlegm and help clear airways. DOES IT WORK? I filled the pot with crystals, then started deep breathing (there’s an internal filter to stop you inhaling salt). After ten minutes, though, I felt so ridiculous that I gave up. I was left with a dry, salty taste on my tongue, but my airways did feel clear. ‘Doctors do sometimes use saline (salt dissolved in water) in a nebuliser to thin mucus,’ says GP Dr Clare Morrison. ‘But it definitely should not be considered a replacement for proven treatments.’ 2/5
PESTLE AND MORTAR Himalayan Rock Salt Pestle And Mortar, €33.75, lakeland.co.uk
WHAT IS IT? A pestle and mortar carved from pink salt. Throw herbs and spices into the bowl and grind to add tiny amounts of salt. The kit will gradually wear down, at which point you can grate the leftover bits. DOES IT WORK? I tried making pesto. Unfortunately, the combination of salty cheese and salt from the pestle and mortar made the result inedibly saline. The dry, spicy rub for steak I made next, however, was excellent. A wipe with a damp cloth cleans it. Don’t soak it, as it will dissolve! 4/5
WARM GLOW Himalayan Pink Salt Lamp, €22.49, saltify.com
WHAT IS IT? A table lamp made from a large, hollowed-out Himalayan salt crystal. The manufacturer claims that, as the bulb heats the salt crystal, moisture in it starts to evaporate, sending ‘healthy’ negative ions into the atmosphere.
These cancel anxiety-inducing positive ions emitted by electrical gadgets and boost your general wellbeing. DOES IT WORK? These lamps kick-started the craze for pink salt – but the health claims don’t stand up to scientific scrutiny. But I don’t mind if they are being optimistic. The glow will lift anyone’s spirits as the nights start to draw in. 4/5
BATHE IN SALT Spa Find Pink Himalayan Hot Salt Rocks, €11.20, shopforspa.com
WHAT IS IT? Two smooth pebbles of Himalayan salt. Use them as massage tools, or place in a warm bath, where they will slowly start to dissolve, adding relaxing salt and minerals to the water. DOES IT WORK? You’re supposed to warm them for a massage, so I put them in a plastic bag then dunked it in hot water for 20 minutes.
When used warm, they do feel soothing and loosen tight muscles. You will also get about four baths out of each pack, leaving the water feeling softer and silkier.
GP Clare Morrison says: ‘Himalayan salt does contain trace amounts of magnesium, which is known to help soothe strained muscles and encourage a good night’s sleep. However they are only there in tiny amounts.’
Minute doses of minerals or not, I definitely felt more relaxed, and my sore knee was eased a little after my bath. 3/5
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