The Pink Salt Recipe for Weight Loss is Taking Over TikTok, but Does It Live up to the Hype?

Move over (or at least get in line) ginger and curcumin: Pink Himalayan salt is the newest spice on the block purported to rev metabolism and fat burning. In fact, the “the pink salt trick” recipe—made with the rosy-hued spice, warm water and lemon juice—has gone viral on TikTok for supposedly aiding weight loss. But does it work? We asked a top dietician to break down the DIY drink’s ingredients and reveal easy ways to boost the tonic’s health perks.

Can Himalayan pink salt really help you lose weight?

While this drink recipe may be of-the-moment, its origins are ancient—Himalayan pink salt is found in prehistoric seabeds in Pakistan and gets its unique color from iron oxide. But it’s much more than a pretty face: “Pink salt provides upwards of 84 natural trace minerals, including potassium, magnesium and calcium,” reveals integrative dietician Ali Miller, RD, LD, CDE, author of The Anti-Anxiety Diet and Naturally Nourished Kids Cookbook.

While social media’s pink salt recipe for weight loss isn’t a slimming magic bullet, “when paired with a calorie-restricted diet and regular exercise, it helps support weight management because it’s a bile-driver, meaning it boosts digestion, gallbladder function and detoxification—and anything that clears toxins helps us stay metabolically healthy,” she explains.

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Pink salt drink recipe for weight loss

Here, Miller weighs in on the three main ingredients in the pink salt drink recipe and explains how each may support weight loss. To make it, simply combine the water, pink salt and lemon juice; drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach to reap the most benefits.

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1 cup of water

Warm water to be exact. Miller explains that by raising the body’s core temperature, it acts like fuel for the metabolism, getting our engine running, so to speak.

½ teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt

The star of the weight-loss tonic, pink salt, contains nutrients that help reduce bloating, she says. “A lot of people are chronically dehydrated and don’t have enough electrolytes, so that’s where you may see the primary benefit—the release of water retention and a reduction in puffiness,” Miller explains.

Pink salt also delivers minerals that support the adrenal glands, balance fluid in your body and can even improve microbial gut health, all of which help keep you metabolically healthy, she continues.

Juice of half a lemon

“Adding lemon to the water-and-salt combination aids liver function while further boosting hormonal health,” she says. Indeed, one study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that lemon juice improves digestion and increases satiety, potentially leading to weight loss.

How to boost the weight-loss benefits of the pink salt recipe

A few easy tweaks to your salt water tonic can increase its bloat-busting power, notes Miller. Three simple swaps she suggests:

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Consider brewing rooibos tea

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Rather than plain old water, “you could try adding pink salt and lemon to a warm glass of rooibos tea, which is high in antioxidants and increases cortisol regulation,” she explains, adding that it’s important to zap those stress hormones because they encourage us to pack on pounds.

Add apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is shown to help regulate blood sugar levels and speed weight loss. Indeed, a study in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health found that people who added ACV to their diet for 12 weeks lost a significant amount of weight. That’s why Miller advises a half-and-half ratio of lemon water to ACV. “This way, you get the benefits of both—and for many people, lemon is more palatable.”

Drizzle on some honey

The life’s work of the regal honeybee contains vitamin B, antioxidants and essential minerals—all of which support a healthy gut microbiome, indirectly helping us reach our weight-loss goals, notes Miller. “That being said, honey is still a carbohydrate, so keep it to 1 teaspoon max. Any more than that will affect your blood sugar and interfere with the weight-loss process.”