We tend to think of salt in the context of a flavor additive rather than a lighting source. Most people grow up adding salt to their meat and potatoes, thinking about the substance only when they notice their food needs to be punched up a bit. But the potential of salt extends far beyond the shakers placed on an average American dinner table. In parts of central Europe and especially the Himalayas, salt crystals are mined, hollowed out and turned into lamps.
Himalayan salt crystal lamps are distinctive for two reasons. The first is a matter of aesthetics. Many of the lamps come in handsome hues of orange or pink, which is pleasing to the eye and creates a desirable ambiance in any room. In addition, these lamps are known to give off negative ions into the surrounding air, achieving a similar respiratory effect to that of mountain or ocean air.
