Does pink salt help you lose weight?

Summer, the time when many girls try to stay in shape to wear pretty swimsuits, is also the time when rumors about weight loss “tricks” spread. The most recent news is related to the use of pink salt.

Photo: sites.northwestern.edu

A viral TikTok claim claims that drinking Hawaiian pink salt mixed with lemon juice can help with weight loss. The account owner also posted a video showing how she mixed the mixture, adding vinegar and pepper.

Pink salt does not help lose weight

As of the time Snopes fact-checked the video, it had garnered over 60,000 likes and over 11,000 saves. However, according to Snopes, the claim is false. The arguments in support are based on false beliefs, with no scientific basis.

To verify, Snopes contacted Alison Childress, associate professor of practice in the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University (USA), and a clinical nutritionist. She confirmed that this tip does not help lose weight, and can even cause weight gain.

“Pink salt does not provide significant weight loss benefits,” she wrote in an email to Snopes. “On the contrary, consuming a lot of sodium can easily cause the body to retain water, causing weight gain, but it is due to water retention, not fat gain.”

When asked if the trick could have any, if any, effect on weight loss, she admitted that “theoretically” it could help with water retention, creating a feeling of fullness and reducing food intake. “But that’s a very far-fetched assumption,” she said.

Childress also points out that pink salt contains more electrolytes than regular table salt. “However, most people do not need extra sodium,” she warns. “Americans currently consume 50 percent more than the recommended amount.”

Regarding risks, Ms. Childress noted that consuming too much sodium can easily lead to serious consequences, especially for people with heart disease, kidney disease or high blood pressure: "Increased sodium can make the disease worse."

She also warns against completely replacing regular (iodized) table salt with other types of salt.

“Pink salt contains little or no iodine,” she says. “Table salt is often fortified with iodine to prevent deficiency. The switch to pink salt, sea salt, kosher salt, etc. has led to an increase in iodine deficiency.”

Iodine deficiency can cause thyroid disorders, leading to goiter or hypothyroidism - a condition in which the thyroid gland is underactive.

The best way to lose weight is a healthy lifestyle

For more effective ways to lose weight, Childress recommends choosing protein-rich snacks to help you feel full longer. Drinking enough water is also important, as dehydration "can cause false hunger signals."

Exercise, especially resistance training, can also help. “Weight training two to three times a week helps maintain lean muscle mass while losing weight,” she says.

Also, get enough sleep. Lack of sleep increases ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which makes you crave high-calorie foods. Good sleep helps regulate hormones, improves metabolism, increases energy for physical activity, and supports healthier food choices.

Childress also recommends prioritizing whole foods, which are more nutritious and lower in calories than processed foods. Monitoring portion sizes can help avoid overeating.

In short, no tip is as effective as maintaining a healthy lifestyle and habits.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dung-muoi-hong-co-giup-giam-can-khong-2025071414170202.htm