Rock salt/Sendha Namak - Health benefits, application, chemical constituents, side effects and many more

By Kbjawadwar February 19, 2022

Rock salt/Sendha Namak

Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. The mineral is typically colorless or white, but may also be light blue, dark blue, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow or gray depending on inclusion of other materials, impurities, and structural or isotopic abnormalities in the crystals. Traditionally considered the healthiest form of salt in ayurveda, rock salt pacifies all the three doshas. Rock salt is categorized by some ayurvedic healers as a Sattvic food. It contributes the salty taste and is a cooling spice. In ayurvedic medicine, rock salt is used as a laxative and a digestive. Salt is a soul ingredient of various dishes that infuses a specific flavor to food. .

It has different names in different languages such as English name(Himalayan salt, Himalayan rock salt, Himalayan pink salt, Halite ), Hindi name(Sendha namak, Sendha lon), Marathi name(Shende lon, Shende mit), Bengali name(Saindhava Lavan), Tamil name(Intuppu), Gujarati name(Sindhalun), Kannada name(Saindhava Uppu, Saindhava Lavana)

Two types of sendha salt:

1. Shweta Saindhava – (white in colour)

2. Rakta Saindhava – (Red in colour) – Himalayan salt

Daily recommended dose sendha salt is 1.5 – 2 grams per day.

Why rock salt is better than table salt?

Less sodium content is one reason. Another is, presence of other micro-nutrients and useful minerals. like Magnesium, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Zinc etc.

Chemical constituents

The rock salt contains the minerals found in that particular body of water; mostly sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sulfate. These are the major elements found in rock salt.

It consists of 95-98% sodium chloride, 2-4% polyhalite (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen), 0.01% fluoride, 0.01% iodine and small amounts of numerous trace minerals

Elements detected were Al, Ba, Br, Ca, Ce, Cl, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, and Zn

Properties and Benefits

Taste – Salt, slightly sweet taste,
Potency – Cold
Qualities – Light, Unctuous,
Effect on Tridosha – Balances all three Doshas(Vatta-Pitta-Kapha)
Click here for more information about Tridosha (vata-Kapha-Pitta)
As we know salt usually increases Pitta, but Saindhava salt/Lavana, being cold in potency helps to balance Pitta and Because of its Salt taste, it balances Vata and It also helps to relieve chest congestion due to sputum accumulation, as it also relieves Kapha.Therefore, It is one of the rare Ayurvedic substance that balances all the three Doshas.
Rochana – improves taste
Dipana – improves digestion strength
Vrushya – acts as aphrodisiac
Chakshushya – good for eyes, helps to relieve infection
Avidahi – (unlike regular salts), Saindhava Lavana does not cause burning sensation.
Hrudya – good for heart
Hikkanashana – useful in hiccups

Characteristic features of salt taste :

Salt gets quickly dissolved in the mouth resulting in stickiness (kleda),

Vishyanda – moistness
Mardava – softness
Mukhasya Vidaha – produce burning sensation in the mouth.

Uses, Remedies, Benefits and Application

1) Rock salt has a less salty taste and it is not chemically processed.

2) Basti is a Panchakarma – In Basti/Enema therapy, While formulating the basti liquid, rock salt is added to prepare an emulsion. It helps to dissolve and expel Doshas from intestines. Here, honey, rock salt and fat material (herbal ghee or oil) is made into a combination along with decoction and paste. It is administered. Here, rock salt helps to make a colloid or emulsion by efficiently mixing all the liquid and solid materials together. This way, when this is administered via enema, it stays in the intestines and does its function better.

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Click here for more information about Ghee

3) Being a natural preservative, sendha namak is widely used is seasoning and preserving foods.

4) Rock salt helps in peeling dead skin cells, purifying skin pores and ensuring the regular skin layer to create solid and stimulated skin type. It additionally helps in reinforcing skin tissue to restore the skin to make it look more youthful and firmer.

- The various minerals present in sendha namak are very beneficial in avoiding common skin problems like acne, rashes, and eczema. Hence, it makes the tissues of the skin stronger and helps rejuvenate the skin, giving it a firm and younger look. Sendha namak does not have a drying effect on the skin and therefore, can be used as a foot soak, scrub or a hand scrub.

5) You can add a pinch of rock salt to digestive lassi along with some crushed mint leaves, some shredded ginger and powdered dry-roasted cumin for a refreshing lunchtime beverage. You can also add it instead of common salt to foods such as kitchari and vegetables.

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6) Gargling with rock salt water helps to relieve sore throat, soothing the throat in dry cough, reducing phlegm in productive cough, reducing inflammation and swelling of the throat.As supportive therapy, it can also be good for patients with asthma, bronchitis and frequent upper respiratory tract infections.

7) Rock salt is used as a home remedy for curing many disorders and ailments such as relief from rheumatic pain and herpes, inflammation and irritation from insect bites.

8) Vamana in Panchakarma : Ahead of Sadyovamana (quick emesis therapy), high dose of ghee is advised. It is administered mixed with rock salt for quick absorption and action at tissue level. Even in the emesis liquid, rock salt is mixed to stimulate the expulsion of Kapha Dosha.

9) One of the most amazing benefits of rock salt is that it overcomes muscle cramps. Those experiencing muscle cramps can mix a spoon of rock salt in water and sip it to get relief within a few minutes.

10) By providing all the essential trace elements, it is a fast nervous stimulant, relaxes body and mind, it greatly improves the respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems to a significant extent like aspirin.

11) Use of Saindhava in obesity and high cholesterol – because it has the dissolving and disintegrating effect, it is widely used in anti-obesity products like Lavana taila and anti-cholesterol products.

12) It is also an appetizer, especially when a pinch of it is eaten with a slice of fresh ginger before a main meal. It gets the salivary and digestive juices flowing.

13) It aids in digestion by stimulating digestive fire, balances natural production of stomach acid, and it is used for laxative and digestive disorders. It improves appetite, removes intestinal and abdominal gases, cramps, and soothes heartburn.

14) Rock salt can be used as easy remedy for Halitosis- Bad breath, a teeth whitener or mouth freshener. Gargling with rock salt provides relief against sore throat. Its pungent smell suppresses the pungent odour of undigested food.

15) According to Ayurveda, Sendha Namak is the best salt that you can use in daily cooking. It balances three doshas (Tridosha). It is best for overall digestion and metabolism. It improves appetite. It is the only salt that has cooling effects.

16) In ayurveda, Sendha Namak is used with black pepper, ginger, long pepper and cinnamon for improving appetite.

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Click here for more information Cinnamon

17) In ayurveda, Sendha Namak is used with Saunf (fennel seeds), coriander powder and cumin seeds for reducing acidity in the stomach and improving digestion.

Click here for more information about Fennel seeds (saunf)

18) Rock Salt has anti-flatulent property, which helps to reduce intestinal gas, flatulence, and abdominal distension.

19) Acharya Vagbhata tells 'Immediately after the birth of the child, the Ulva (secretions or cheesy white coating enveloping the body and face of the new born child) over the body and face should be cleansed by wiping and rubbing it with the mixture of Saindhava Lavana (Rock salt) and Sarpi (ghee).

20) According to ayurveda, rock salt is a fat burner. It improves metabolism in the body inhibits cravings for foods. The fat burner effect of rock salt is due to trace minerals present in it. However, its effect on eliminating fat is not significant, but you can use it as supportive therapy in weight loss. It also helps to remove dead fat cells.

21) Consumption of rock salt along with lemon juice can help in eliminating stomach worms and controlling vomiting.

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22) Rock salt is famously used in making many tasty dishes including Pani Puri, Masala Puri, Ice creams etc. Many households use rock salt as the main salt, in place of common salt.

23) This is useful in cases of joint disorders, or wherever Kapha is more, as in sinusitis : In case of joint disorders with stiffness, apply the oil prescribed by your doctor, leave it on for 10 – 15 minutes. Then, take a cup of Sendha namak inside a cloth. Make it into pack. Heat it on a pan, check for heat tolerance on your skin. Once it is tolerable, gently apply this rock salt pack over the affected joint. You can reheat and re-apply on the joints. You can do this for 4 – 5 minutes.

- Even while doing Nasya therapy, after doing massage with suitable oil (as advised by doctor), you can give hot fomentation with the same technique, before using Anu taila as nasal drops. It helps to liquefy sputum and to relieve sinusitis, migraine etc.

24) Rock salt is occasionally used in agriculture. An example of this would be inducing salt stress to suppress the growth of annual meadow grass in turf production. Other examples involve exposing weeds to salt water to dehydrate and kill them preventing them from affecting other plants. Salt is also used as a household cleaning product. Its coarse nature allows for its use in various cleaning scenarios including grease/oil removal, stain removal, dries out and hardens sticky spills for an easier clean.

25) It strengthens the bones and connective tissue. It increases blood level due to its Iron content hence useful in anemia.

26) It is beneficial for people suffering from respiratory problems and sinusitis. Gargling with rock salt helps relieve throat pain, throat swelling, dry cough and tonsillitis. Rock salt is dissolved in water to prepare brine which is used in facial steams for patients suffering from asthma, bronchitis, rhinitis or other nose and ear discomforts.

27) It facilitates the cellular absorption of minerals. It plays an important role in replenishing the body’s electrolytes and maintaining the pH balance. By stimulating blood circulation and mineral balance it removes toxic minerals and refined salt deposits.

28) Rock salt crystal products tend to reduce airborne irritants, pathogens and allergens by pulling water vapour out of the air.

29) Bleeding gums : Mix 1 teaspoon of rock salt, triphala powder and neem powder. Use a pinch at a time to massage the gums and rinse with water for quick relief.

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30) Bath Salt Mix a tablespoon of rock salt in water and take a relaxing bath.

31) Body scrub : Mox rock salt with honey and lemon and massage your skin with this scrub.

32) Poultice made from this brine can be used to treat wounds, acne or pain due to gout or arthritis.

Does rock salt contain iodine?

Rock salt is significantly low in iodine, so it may not replace your iodized salt if you have an iodine deficiency. Due to abundant of health benefits that rock salt has, you can use it mixing with iodized salt in equal proportion in your food if you are suffering from Iodine deficiency. If you don’t suffer from iodine deficiency, you might not need iodized salt. And you can freely use Sendha Namak.

But still you can completely shift to the rock salt in daily cooking, if don't have iodine deficiency problem, because it already contains iodine in less amount.

Of you have iodine deficiency, then you should use equal proportion of both rock and table salt.

Side effects :

It is not indicated in people with high blood pressure (hypertension), edema and water retention.
In very high doses of more than 4 grams per day, it may increase blood pressure, may cause early greying of hairs, increase of body warmth, burning sensation etc, means simply increasing pitta dosha.
As per Ayurveda, excess use of salt makes the hairs grey. So, limited use of rock salt in daily diet does not cause grey hairs.
Excess utilisation of salt causes collection of Doshas, exhaustion, stupor, shortcoming, untimely turning gray of hair, sparseness and wrinkling.

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