Is Himalayan Pink Salt Good For Diabetes?

You might wonder what could be the possible relationship between salt and diabetes. It’s because having diabetes is usually linked to sugar consumption. Apart from sugar, salt also has to do with diabetes. Because salt interferes with insulin resistance in our bodies. The question arises, ‘Is Himalayan Pink Salt good for diabetes?’

It’s told to diabetic patients to cut their salt intake. But studies show otherwise. Low sodium can have a detrimental effect rather than a constructive one on our health. 

The type of salt our sodium comes from also plays a role. When talking about the purest salt, Himalayan pink salt might cross your mind. But is Himalayan pink salt good for diabetes? Find that out here! 

Expert’s Opinion Revealed – is Himalayan pink salt good for your diabetes? 

There are two ways Himalayan Pink Salt helps you control your diabetes. It controls your blood pressure and sugar which are the main constituents of diabetes.

How does diabetes affect our blood pressure?

People with diabetes tend to have heart disease along with other problems. Also, high blood pressure is a common medical problem related to diabetes. 

When we’ve diabetes, our blood glucose levels increase. This glucose keeps flowing into our bloodstream. It makes our red blood cells clot and builds plaque in arteries. 

Diabetes is known to be a cause of atherosclerosis (plaque deposit). Both of these complications make our heart pump blood harder. 

The pressure in our arteries gets built up, and we develop hypertension. The inner lining of our blood vessels also gets damaged and hardened. 

High blood pressure can worsen the complications related to diabetes. Such as diabetic eye and kidney issues.

Himalayan pink salt can balance our blood glucose levels and ultimately improve diabetes. It contains magnesium, manganese, chromium, and vanadium. These minerals help in the proper functioning of glucose and insulin in our bodies.   

Sodium—an important electrolyte

Sodium is a vital mineral present in small amounts in our body fluids. It regulates the balance of water and other fluids inside and outside of our cells.

Sodium also manages the pressure and volume of our blood. It also helps our muscles to contract, and our neurons to fire. 

Only consuming an adequate amount of sodium ensures all of the above. It’s a common perception, low sodium can lower blood pressure. 

However, research shows that people who don’t lower their sodium intake have an improvement in their blood pressure. They take the recommended amount of 2,300 mg of sodium in a day.  

The reason is there’s another mineral that affects our blood pressure. And that’s potassium. If we have low potassium levels, then lowering sodium doesn’t help. 

Himalayan pink salt contains potassium along with other minerals which are effective against blood pressure. Potassium is present in a small amount in Himalayan Pink Salt but is necessary for balancing the ratio of sodium in our bodies. 

Effects of Pink salt on Blood Pressure and sugar

Salt influences a hormone called insulin in our body. Our pancreas produces insulin for the uptake of glucose from the blood to the cells. 

When glucose levels rise, it becomes hard for our cells to absorb them. It leads to insulin resistance. 

Insulin resistance is also increased by lowering the consumption of sodium. It, in turn, causes our insulin to rise, which elevates our blood pressure. 

According to a study, sodium depletion didn’t only lower the blood pressure of its participants but also increased their insulin resistance.  

This study shows low sodium causes two intricate problems. It worsens both diabetes and hypertension due to increased insulin resistance. 

Since both these conditions are interlinked, Himalayan pink salt proves to be effective against diabetes, i.e, blood pressure and sugar. for high blood pressure.

Salt craving on a low-carb diet

Diabetic patients are expected to adopt a diet that is low in carbs. When we are on a low-carb or keto diet, our bodies become salt deficient. It is because we start running on fat as fuel instead of sugar. 

Our body then runs out of electrolytes like sodium and chloride due to low insulin. We face symptoms like low blood pressure, muscle cramps, lethargy, and dizziness.

All of these are signs of salt depletion, which needs replenishment. We, then, crave salt and even sugar disguised as salt cravings. 

Himalayan pink salt can be beneficial for diabetic patients in two ways. First, it would supply an ample amount of sodium and chloride to their bodies.

Second, it wouldn’t use insulin as a tool to retain salt. Low salt can cause our bodies to hold on to more insulin, which may lead to insulin resistance. 

Salt cravings are a signal of our body’s need for sodium and Himalayan pink salt is the cure. 

Low salt and sodium retention

It is a common belief that more salt leads to more water retention. It can make us restrict our salt intake.

Low salt can directly affect our kidneys. Because in the absence of a proper amount of sodium, our kidneys preserve sodium as much as they can.

It may be due to the elevation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. 

Angiotensin and aldosterone are salt-sensitive hormones. Their high levels can cause insulin to rise for sodium retention.    

Another reason could be our bodies being in a state of stress on a low sodium diet. It stimulates the release of hormones like epinephrine. 

Epinephrine retains both salt and water in our kidneys. Also, it acts in opposition to insulin. It can create insulin resistance. 

Himalayan pink salt can keep the level of these hormones low. Its sodium content leads to the proper excretion of extra sodium in our bodies.    

Himalayan pink salt—free of additives

Table salt is pure sodium chloride. It also has anti-caking agents to prevent the formation of clumps.

The anti-caking agents include chemicals like sodium ferrocyanide and potassium ferrocyanide. Cyanide increases the toxicity of table salt.

Contrary to that, Himalayan pink salt isn’t pure sodium chloride. It doesn’t contain any additives or anti-caking agents. It makes it a healthy source of sodium and good cure against diabetes, blood pressure, and sugar.

Also, a teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt contains 1,680 mg of sodium. It means it’s safe to consume one and a half teaspoons of this salt.

But in the case of table salt, this serving is high in sodium. It isn’t safe to take table salt in such large amounts. 

CONCLUSION

Restricting the consumption of salt can cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance not only leads to diabetes but also high blood pressure.

It leads us to a conclusion opposite to the preconceived notion. And that is low salt can improve diabetes and other related problems.

Himalayan pink salt is one of the safest sources of sodium. It has great effect on both diabetes and high blood pressure simultaneously.