Salt has gotten quite the bad reputation over the last few decades. Low-sodium diets, warnings against adding salt to meals, and high levels of salt in preserved foods have all created a culinary culture that cringes at the thought of incorporating any more than is necessary into a diet. But the truth, surprising as it may be, is that natural salt is actually great for your body. Not iodized, chemical laden table salt, but Himalayan crystal salt.

To understand the difference between these two, here are their basic properties:

• Table salt: Made of 97.5 percent sodium chloride (NaCl) and 2.5 percent of other chemicals, such as iodine. Additionally, salt actually contains sugar, a fact of which many people are unaware. Furthermore, table salt is certainly not compatible with organic or raw diets, as it is processed at temperatures reaching over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. This blast of heat further degrades the nutritional value of an already harmful substance.
• Himalayan crystal salt: Pure and certainly unaltered by both man-made processes and the toxins that have infiltrated salt from the ocean, Himalayan sea salt is taken from the Himalayan mountains and contains 84 minerals. Additionally, the cellular structure of Himalayan crystal salt creates storage space for vibrational energy.

It is clear that Himalayan crystal salt is better for you than table salt, but what are the actual health benefits that it can provide?

• Regulation of water levels.
• Stable pH balance within the body.
• Great blood sugar levels.
• Promotion of the creation of cellular hydroelectric energy.
• Graceful aging.
• Increased absorption of important vitamins and minerals in the intestines.
• Better vascular and respiratory health.
• Higher levels of sinus health.
• Alleviation of muscle cramps.
• Increased bone strength.
• More regular sleep patterns.
• Increase in libido.
• Regulation of blood pressure.
• Prevention of cellulite.
• Reduction of risk of rheumatism, gout, and arthritis, as well as kidney and gall bladder stones.

In addition to this long list of potential health benefits, Himalayan crystal salt can actually boost the performance of antioxidants, making the other healthy foods that you eat more effective. Antioxidants are important because they have the ability to fight free radicals, which have been implicated in several health problems (including everything from serious degenerative diseases to cosmetic premature aging). Furthermore, this pure form of salt provides antihistamines, prevents varicose and spider veins, and can help alleviate a variety of emotional disorders.

While it is true that common table salt should be avoided, it is also true that salt has its proper place in your diet and, through Himalayan crystal salt, you can reap all the benefits that it has to provide. Instead of going without this important mineral, Himalayan sea salt allows you to incorporate it into your everyday diet in a way that is natural and good for your body.