A team of researchers from Lovely Professional University have conducted a study on Himalayan Black rock salt and found that it shows better antioxidant properties than the Himalayan pink salt; a product which has gained massive popularity globally for its mineral composition and antioxidant properties, leading to premium pricing on retail shelves. According to the research, the Himalayan Black rock salt was also found to have lower levels of sodium (Na) than both the Himalayan pink salt and regular table salts making it a healthier option for those with medical conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease.
When it comes to the structure, the Himalayan black salt was found to be irregular in shape with a quadrilateral, cubic, irregular crystalline structure. It also contains important minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium which are beneficial for human health and thus making it more suitable for consumption than conventional table salts. The researchers explored the geochemical characterization of the Himalayan black salt using technologies like FE-SEM, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), elemental content using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and in vitro antioxidant activity by different methods for the first time.
The lead researcher Devesh Tewari, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, says, “There are two types of Himalayan rock salts. One is the Himalayan pink salt and the other one is Himalayan black salt. The Himalayan pink salt is studied extensively but the black salt is underexplored. We attempted to generate more scientific evidence of Himalayan black salt in terms of its geochemical characterization and in vitro antioxidant activity. Our findings show that the Himalayan Black salt is low in Sodium content as compared to the sea salt and pink salt, indicating their beneficial effects for the common population and for patients of hypertension as well.”
The research was conducted in collaboration between Uttarakhand Technical University, Lovely Professional University, DBS PG College, Dehradun, Kumaun University and Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, France. The research team includes Vikas Chander and Vipul Negi from Department of Pharmacy, Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun, Devesh Tewari, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Panjab, Rakesh Singh, Department of Chemistry, DBS PG College, Dehradun, Kumud Upadhyaya, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumaun University, Nainital and Lotfi Aleya from Chrono-Environment Laboratory, Bourgogne Franche-Comté University, France.
