Pink Himalayan Salt
ASIAN Geographic|AG 160
It's probably no better for you than regular salt, and it doesn't actually come from the Himalayas, but pink salt has some history behind it - and it's here to stay
Pink Himalayan Salt

According to local legend, it was none other than the exalted historical figure Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE) who discovered pink salt, otherwise known as Himalayan salt, when he noticed his horses licking the salt on the ground. However, the first records of mining are actually from the 13th century, and Himalayan salt is, in fact, mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan - more than 300 kilometres from the closest point in the Himalayan mountain range.

Formed around 550 million years ago, these lucrative salt deposits are much like any other salt in terms of basic composition. But why exactly is this salt pink? The answer lies mainly in its high iron oxide content, which results in a distinctive rose-coloured hue. Analysis of samples of Himalayan salt has also revealed trace amounts of calcium, iron, copper, zinc, chromium, magnesium, potassium and sulphate, though all at safe levels below one percent.

This story is from the AG 160 edition of ASIAN Geographic.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the AG 160 edition of ASIAN Geographic.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ASIAN GEOGRAPHICView All
The Mighty Yellow
ASIAN Geographic

The Mighty Yellow

Over 5,000 kilometres long and flowing through nine provinces and autonomous regions, the Yellow River is China's second largest, after the Yangtze, while its basin is deemed the cradle of Chinese civilisation

time-read
3 mins  |
AG 164
Wildlife Big Yellow Beauty
ASIAN Geographic

Wildlife Big Yellow Beauty

The popular "amelanistic" form of the Burmese python is considered among the most beautiful snakes - if that's your sort of thing

time-read
4 mins  |
AG 164
All That Glitters Is Gold
ASIAN Geographic

All That Glitters Is Gold

From Turkey to China, the yellow metal plays a central role in cultural practices and is coveted as a symbol of affluence and status

time-read
10+ mins  |
AG 164
Chengdu Hotel Spotlight TRIKA TSANG INTERNATIONAL HOTEL
ASIAN Geographic

Chengdu Hotel Spotlight TRIKA TSANG INTERNATIONAL HOTEL

For an authentic taste of Tibet in the heart of Chengdu, the most luxurious option is the majestic Trika Tsang International Hotel.

time-read
1 min  |
AG 164
Conservation Yellow in Peril
ASIAN Geographic

Conservation Yellow in Peril

While the demand for use in traditional Chinese medicine is putting seahorses under pressure, it is damaging non-selective fishing that is driving depletion

time-read
5 mins  |
AG 164
Revealed Doctor Yellow
ASIAN Geographic

Revealed Doctor Yellow

Japan Railways' special lemony Shinkansen is a rare sight to behold

time-read
3 mins  |
AG 164
History Spiritual Rebirth
ASIAN Geographic

History Spiritual Rebirth

During the Spanish Golden Age, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan achieved the first European navigation to Asia via the Pacific, arriving in the Philippines in 1521 and claiming the islands for Spain. But by converting the first Filipinos to Catholicism, Magellan also instigated the Christianisation of the entire archipelago, a spiritual rebirth celebrated through the two most important festivals in the Philippines - Fiesta Señor and Sinulog.

time-read
5 mins  |
AG 164
Green Dreams
ASIAN Geographic

Green Dreams

With its tea plantations and rice paddies, dense jungles and expansive forests, the region is well known as a green paradise. But many of the most impressive Asian landscapes have names you may never have heard of. Journey with us as we reveal just some of the incredible locations that make the rest of the world green with envy!

time-read
4 mins  |
AG 162
Life On The Edge
ASIAN Geographic

Life On The Edge

In the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, in the remote northern Russian Far East, indigenous ethnic groups like the Chukchi and the Yupik live in the most extreme conditions, hunting seals in their traditional kayaks as they have for millennia

time-read
10+ mins  |
AG 162
The Karakoram Anomaly Decoded
ASIAN Geographic

The Karakoram Anomaly Decoded

For decades, scientists have believed that glaciers in the Karakoram Range are defying the trend of those across the globe-resisting glacial melt due to human-induced global warming. But as we trek up the Karakoram's second-longest glacier in July, as the United Nations announces the world's hottest ever month on record, does the melting ice beneath our feet suggest the so-called Karakoram Anomaly is slowing? Or is there a ray of hope it will continue to delay the inevitable?

time-read
10+ mins  |
AG 162