Salt Crystals Facts

Everyday, we come across different types of crystals, for instance, sugar crystals, salt crystals. Diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds are the showiest crystals for thousands of years. A crystal is an organized grouping of atoms or molecules. Each crystal has different properties and shapes. Sugar crystals are oblong and slanted at the ends while salt crystals are cubes, like a six-sided die.

Salt Crystals

When sea water evaporates, we obtain salt. While in water, the sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are separated by water molecules (H2O). As the water starts evaporating from the solution, the Na and Cl atoms begin to bond together, first as single molecules and then the molecules bond together, forming crystals. It is really surprising that every molecule builds itself into the same shape crystal, a cube, each time it forms.

Interesting Salt Crystals Facts

• You eat crystals whenever you eat salt.
• Greeks used to exchange slaves for salt, therefore the expression "he is not worth his salt."
• In Tibet, tiny cakes of salt were pressed and used as coins.
• Roman Legionnaires were paid in salt (Salarium, the Latin origin of the word salary).
• It was used to preserve Egyptian mummies.
• In 1933, Dalai Lama was buried sitting up in a bed of salt.
• These crystals are used to manufacture thousands of products.
• The crystals help preserve food items.
• Each and every cell of your body contains salt. An adult human body contains about 250 grams of salt which help the body systems to function properly.
• In India, a gift of salt is considered as a potent symbol of good luck.
• Until relatively recently, salt bars were the standard currency of Ethiopia.
• Salt helps remove red wine spills.
• It is used to remove stains from a teapot.
• It can fix the color of the jeans.
• Salt bath is recommended for pain-relief, in case of sprained muscle.
• They help clean an iron without scratching.
• Stomach acid obtained from salt disinfects your food and aids in digestion.
• Your body signals tell you to drink water when the concentration of salt in the blood rises even slightly.
• Sodium (salt) is the key factor in the operation of all signals from, to and within the brain.
• Sodium is responsible for the smooth and trouble free movements (contraction and relaxation) of the heart muscles.
• You need to eat salt as it replaces the salt which you lose when you sweat.
• Excess salt can affect the heart function. Kidneys help remove excess salt in your body.
• It plays an important role in maintaining the volume of blood, indirectly its pressure.
• One of the interesting salt crystals facts is that in spiritual tradition people use these crystals to cleanse crystals of negative vibrations.
• Salt intake is necessary as salt is the key element in the process of perspiration which is considered as a vital process that helps to maintain your body temperature.
• In Buddhist and western spiritual traditions, salt is believed to repel evil spirits. It is a well-known fact that in old Japanese theaters, salt crystals were sprinkled on to the stage before each performance to prevent evil spirits from casting a spell on the actors.

These were some amazing salt crystals facts. You must have noticed that you may live without sugar, but living without salt, is just impossible. Our ancestors knew about different uses of salt. It is being used in China for 5000 years and for about 2700 years in Egypt. Salt has always been an important trading commodity and many bitter wars were fought over salt.