Pink salt is better than normal white salt.

VerdictMisleading

Can be harmful

Checked against nih.gov, CDC

Pink salt is not better than normal white salt: the extra minerals in it are far too little to help your health, some pink salt has been found with lead, and pink salt is usually not iodized, while iodized salt helps prevent iodine deficiency. Treating pink salt as the healthier choice can hurt you — using more of it means extra sodium, which can raise blood pressure, and you may miss the iodine that iodized salt gives.

What experts say

Pink salt does have more minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium than white table salt. But the amounts are so small that you would need to eat a very large amount of salt to get any real benefit, and that much salt is bad for you.1
Too much salt, from any source, raises blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.2
Some pink salt samples have been found with lead, a metal that can harm many organs. Lead has no health benefit.1
Iodized salt helps prevent iodine deficiency. Pink salt and other specialty salts are usually not iodized, and a salt has to be labelled to show it has iodine, so check the packet.3 4

Why people believe it

Pink salt is often marketed as natural and richer in minerals. It does contain more minerals than white salt, but in amounts too small to help your health.

What to do

Use iodized salt for cooking and at the table. Check the packet to see if your salt has iodine.3 4
Limit the total amount of salt you eat, whether white or pink. Too much salt raises blood pressure and heart disease risk.2
Do not use pink salt as a health supplement or rely on it to get minerals. The mineral amounts are too small to matter.1
If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, be extra careful to limit salt.2