No Hacks.
No Hype.
Just Biology.

Look, I'm going to be straight with you—our ancestors didn't mess around with processed table salt, and neither should you. They sourced their minerals from the earth, unrefined and packed with the good stuff our bodies actually recognize. Today, we're diving deep into two ancient powerhouses: Celtic sea salt and Himalayan salt. If you're serious about optimizing your morning hydration ritual, you need to understand what you're putting in that first glass of water.

Where These Ancient Salts Come From

Celtic sea salt gets harvested from the pristine coastal regions of France, straight from the Celtic Sea. That signature gray color? That's from the clay in the salt beds—completely natural, completely unprocessed. We're talking about salt that's been harvested using traditional methods that date back centuries, loaded with trace minerals like magnesium and calcium.

Himalayan salt comes from ancient sea beds buried deep in the Himalayan mountains of Pakistan. We're talking 250 million years old here. That pink to reddish hue isn't dye—it's iron oxide, and this stuff contains over 80 different minerals. Your ancestors would have traveled miles to get their hands on mineral-rich salt like this.

The Taste Test

Here's where things get interesting. Celtic sea salt has that briny, slightly moist character that screams "ocean." It's got moisture content that keeps it from being bone-dry, and it brings a robust mineral flavor that reminds you this isn't some factory-processed nonsense.

Himalayan salt? It's got an earthy sweetness to it—more subtle, more refined. Some people find it easier to drink first thing in the morning because it's less aggressively salty. Neither is "better"—it's about what your palate responds to when you're breaking your overnight fast.

Health Benefits: What Science and Tradition Tell Us

Let's talk about why you might consider adding salt to your morning water in the first place. After 6-8 hours of sleep, your body may be dehydrated and your electrolytes could be depleted. Plain water? It's good, but some people believe it's not optimal.

Celtic Sea Salt

Celtic sea salt is thought to support hydration. That mineral composition may help your cells actually absorb the water you're drinking instead of just passing it through. If you're active, if you sweat, if you train hard—this might be worth exploring. The magnesium alone is believed to support over 300 enzymatic processes in your body. Your ancestors who lived by the sea seemed to understand something valuable about mineral-rich salt.

Himalayan Salt

Himalayan salt may offer different potential benefits. With 80+ trace minerals, you could be giving your body a mineral supplement in a highly bioavailable form. Some advocates suggest it may support digestion, help balance pH levels, and provide nutrients that modern diets often lack. Some practitioners claim it might help regulate blood sugar and support respiratory health—benefits that align with traditional uses going back thousands of years, though these claims haven't all been evaluated by the FDA.

So Which One Should You Consider?

Here's my take: if you're an athlete, someone who sweats heavily, or you're focused on hydration and electrolyte balance, you might want to explore Celtic sea salt. That moisture-retaining quality and mineral profile could be beneficial for hydration.

If you're looking for broader nutritional support, digestive optimization, and a gentler mineral boost to start your day, Himalayan salt might be worth trying. It could be particularly interesting if you're dealing with gut issues or want that comprehensive mineral spectrum.

Some days I rotate between the two. There's no law saying you can't. Both may be better choices than processed table salt that's been stripped of minerals and loaded with anti-caking agents.

The Bottom Line

Our ancestors didn't have access to 47 different types of exotic salts, but they sure as hell weren't eating bleached, processed stuff either. They ate what the earth provided—mineral-rich, unrefined, powerful. Celtic and Himalayan salts are two of the few truly ancient foods we still have access to in their original form.

Consider choosing based on your goals, but more importantly, just pick one and experiment with it. Your morning hydration ritual isn't just about drinking water—it might be about reminding your body what real, earth-based nutrition feels like. That's the ancient way. That could be the optimal way.

Now stop reading and consider whether adding some minerals to your water makes sense for you.