From culinary kitchens to home stoves, salt is almost the quintessential thing for any food. Even sweet foods require a pinch of salt to combine all the flavors together.
While we are all crazy about sea salts, flakey salts, and kosher salts, the Himalayan salt stays at top of the salt list. It’s not extracted in any way but found in mineral mines that are then harvested.
Mainly it is found in Khewra, a region in Punjab, Pakistan. It is then extracted and sold in different forms. Himalayan salts are basically a kind of rock salt.
Although it is used in cooking and decorating food, there is another use for it. Yes, you guessed it, it is used as a salt lamp.
Enthusiasts have claimed the benefits of calming the mood purifying your room and whatnot. But the urge for anyone with a big slab of salt is understandable. Can you eat Himalayan salt lamp, can go through anyone’s mind after coming face to face with one of them.
Well, we are going to talk about that and a little more in this article.
Trendy Thoughts: Can You Eat Himalayan Salt Lamp
Himalayan salt lamps are mainly 96% sodium chloride, which is basically any salt on the market. But what differentiates them from any other salt is the color.
This is due to the presence of iron, calcium, zinc, chromium, and magnesium. There are also traces of sulfate in them. These minerals are responsible for the pink, red, or beet color hues in them.
If you are thinking that all Himalayan salts are the same, you are wrong. The mined salts go through chemical checkups before they are declared safe to consume. Because some of them contain harmful chemicals and minerals at a higher rate than the ones we find on food shelves.
So what about the lamp? Can you eat it? Here are the things to keep in mind before you want to eat or lick your favorite healing Himalayan salt lamp.
Licking Good, Eating Bad
What do a big cake and a big steak have in common? You want to have a bite out of it! The same thing goes for a big chunk of salt.
Even for table salt, you want to lick it sometime. And a chunk of it is even more inviting. Licking the lamp while it is cold out of curiosity, is fine. But eating is a whole different thing.
As Himalayan salts go through a different process before it is declared edible, you shouldn’t just eat your salt lamp. It might contain harmful material that is bad for your health. You can lick it out of curiosity, but limit yourself. This brings us to the next point.
Salt Is Prone to Moisture
This involves a little bit of your junior school science class. As we all know water dissolves salt, the same thing applies to your salt lamp.
Water, moisture, and humidity, all of them are the kryptonite of any salt lamp. So if you lick your salt lamp very often, chances are it will store some of the moisture and eventually melt.
So limit yourself and keep the lamp for its original intention.
Make Sure It Is Turned Off
While licking, make sure your lamp is turned off. There is a chance that you might get electrocuted.
We hear a lot of news about people getting electrocuted by their mobile phone chargers. Some even cause deaths. So it is best if you turn the lamp off before you want to lick it.
Lamp Heat Might Harm Your Tongue
Prior to licking your lamp, you should also consider the temperature of your lamp. If it was turned on for some time, it will heat up the whole chunk of salt.
And licking on any hot surface has a bad impact on your tongue. It might even peel off your skin. So make sure it is cooled down enough.
Tip: An Himalayan salt lamp is not food-grade salt most of the time. Rather than licking it, go for the ones you will find as food condiments. And leave the lamp to have its aesthetic value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Himalayan salt lamps edible?
Himalayan salt lamps are different than the ones that are used for cooking. They are not processed thoroughly to know about the harmful elements. So it is best not to eat the Himalayan salt lamp. Also, licking it would compromise the salt lamp’s integrity due to moisture.
Can salt lamps be used for food?
Although it might sound the same, the food-grade Himalayan salts are different than the ones that are used as lamps. It might contain harmful minerals as they are not tested. So it is best not to use them as food.
Is it safe to lick salt lamp?
Yes. It is safe to lick a salt lamp that is turned off. But make sure it is not hot as it will harm your tongue.
Can you eat a whole salt lamp?
The daily sodium intake of a human being is less than 2300 milligrams. Over that, it will be fatal. And a salt lamp contains a lot of different harmful elements that don’t come processed like edible salts. So better you leave the salt lamp to be a lamp rather than food.
What happens if you lick a Himalayan salt lamp?
Licking a salt lamp does not do anything. You will taste salt along with other earthy minerals which makes up for the different taste than table salt. But if you lick your salt lamp frequently, the moisture will destroy your lamp.
Conclusion
Himalayan salt lamps are made for their aesthetic nature rather than being a food element. They are not processed or tested like the ones you will find in the food section. So it is best to leave it as a salt lamp rather than a lickable item. Unless you want it to degrade to nothing and go your money with it.
