The Benefits of Sole Water

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Health » The Benefits of Sole Water

In our modern American diet, we’re told that salt is bad and we should avoid it at all costs. But the truth is it’s not the villain it’s often made out to be! It turns out that it’s actually very beneficial to our bodies. There’s some age-old evidence that consuming the right kind of salt daily (unprocessed and unrefined) can be very beneficial for our health. That’s why I love to make sole water!

By increasing salt intake, you provide your body with key electrolytes needed to help it run smoothly. While eating salt is great, sometimes I find it hard to get enough of it on my food without it tasting too salty.

If you want to increase hydration and electrolytes to support your health and wellness, give sole water a try! It’s easy to make and requires just two ingredients.

What is Sole Water?

Sole (pronounced so-lay) is water that’s fully saturated with unrefined salt. Often made with pink Himalayan salt, this concentrated salt water is a great way to increase your electrolytes.

Many people add salt to their water for its health benefits. Sole water isn’t the same as drinking water with salt. It’s water that has fully absorbed the maximum amount of salt (26% actually…. thanks, high school chemistry!). Think of sea water and that’s similar to sole.

While drinking salt in your water is a good practice, sole gives you more electrolytes. We lose electrolytes when we sweat or fast. It’s a great way to replenish these minerals because it provides sodium along with magnesium, calcium, iron, and potassium in trace amounts.

The type of salt you use is key! Regular table salt is overly processed. Manufacturing strips it of many vital minerals. Factories often bleach and add chemicals to the salt to keep it from clumping. You’ll need unprocessed natural salt (Himalayan, Remond, or Celtic sea salt) to make sole.

Why Drink Sole Water?

The health experts have told us for years that salt can be harmful, so drinking salt water may sound counterintuitive. However, multiple studies show drinking seawater (also concentrated salt water) can have a variety of health-supporting benefits. Some countries have used sole for centuries. I drink sole water every day but especially when I’m active (and sweating!) or when I’m fasting.

It’s interesting to note that the conventional recommendation for many of these problems includes removing excess salt from the diet. Table salt can certainly have a negative effect and is best avoided. However, natural salt is less processed and contains trace minerals that aren’t in table salt. Natural salt is incredibly nourishing for the body.

Sole Water Benefits

  • Helps Hydration – Our body is made of salt water. During sleep, the body naturally repairs and detoxifies. It uses a good amount of water in the process. Consuming sole first thing in the morning helps the body rehydrate.
  • Helps the Body Detoxify – People have used salt for centuries to preserve food. It’s also used as an anti-inflammatory mouth rinse. Because of its antibacterial properties, water made with salt can be useful for the body’s natural detoxification.
  • Improves Sleep – Research shows that a diet low in sodium disturbs sleep. Adding sole to your daily routine boosts sodium and other mineral levels that help you sleep.
  • Boosts Energy – The minerals in sole help boost energy throughout the day. A 2019 study shows that people who had higher sodium intake had more energy.
  • Improves Digestion – A 2020 randomized control group found that drinking salt water stimulates the digestive system. This promotes food absorption and naturally relieves constipation.
  • Regulates Heart Rate – Low sodium diets interfere with the heart’s electrical signals, increasing the risk of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmias.
  • Improves Blood Sugar – Research shows that a high-salt diet enhances insulin regulation, while a diet low in salt increases insulin resistance. Some people note improved blood sugar levels after using sole.
  • Natural Antihistamine – Salt is a powerful natural antihistamine. This action is likely due to its balancing effects on the body, and I’ve noticed this personally.
  • Relieves Muscle Cramps – Since drinking sole regularly and using magnesium, I don’t get leg cramps anymore, even after extreme exercise or during pregnancy. A 2022 review of 8 studies on consuming salt water showed faster recovery after exercise and also improved performance.
  • Weight Loss – By improving digestion and nutrient absorption and increasing hydration, sole can help promote weight loss.

Sole is an inexpensive addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, and it’s incredibly easy to make.

How Do I Make Sole?

As sole is simply salt and water, the quality of the salt is extremely important. While typically made with pink Himalayan salt, you can also use Redmond Salt or Celtic Sea Salt. These unprocessed natural salts all have roughly the same amount of trace minerals, such as magnesium and potassium.

Ayurvedic practices often use Himalayan salt to balance the body’s doshas (energies). You want to make sure to use unprocessed, natural salt.

I like to use mostly Himalayan salt, with a small amount of Redmond Salt or Celtic Salt added. Redmond Salt has the mildest flavored salt of the three, so if you’re new to sole water, that’s an easy one to start with.

Sole_Water

Sole Water Recipe

Sole water is saturated with natural salt minerals. It’s great for digestive health, leg cramps, hydration, sleep, and more.
Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Author Katie Wells

Servings

192 teaspoons

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Fill the glass jar about ¼ of the way full with Himalayan salt, Celtic sea salt, or Real Salt, or a mixture of the three.
  • Add filtered water to fill the jar, leaving about an inch at the top.
  • Put on the plastic lid and shake the jar gently.
  • Leave on the counter overnight to let the salt dissolve.
  • If there is still some salt on the bottom of the jar the next day, the water has absorbed the maximum amount of salt, and the sole is ready to use.
  • If all of the salt is absorbed, add more salt and continue doing so each day until some remains on the bottom. This means the water is fully saturated with salt.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Sole Water Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 tsp)
Calories 0
% Daily Value*
Sodium 589mg26%
Potassium 0.1mg0%
Calcium 0.4mg0%
Iron 0.01mg0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notes

  • To use: Mix 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of the sole into a glass of water and drink every morning on an empty stomach. Do not use any metal utensils to measure or stir.
  • Salt water is highly corrosive so avoid using metal utensils or a metal lid so it doesn’t oxidize.

How to Use Sole

After making the mixture, store it at room temp. It will last indefinitely as salt is naturally antibacterial and antifungal. Add more water and salt as needed to keep up the amount in the jar. Just watch to make sure there are salt crystals at the bottom of the jar after letting it sit overnight. That means the water has fully absorbed the salt. If there aren’t any extra crystals, add more salt and let it sit overnight again.

To drink, add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon to a glass of water each morning and drink on an empty stomach. Don’t add more, especially when first starting! If this causes a detox reaction or headache, work up slowly. You could also try adding lemon to your water to make it more palatable.

Sole Water Side Effects

When first starting, sole could make you nauseous. If that’s the case, try starting with less. Although it works best when consumed on an empty stomach, you can also add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon to 32 ounces of water and drink it throughout the morning.

Sole can also irritate the stomach or cause diarrhea. If this happens, stop taking it for a few days until your symptoms clear up. If you want to try again, start slowly with a small amount and work your way up.

Who Can Drink Sole?

If you have kidney stones or disease or high blood pressure sole water may not be a good option. Conventional advice says adding more salt to your diet with these conditions could make it worse. However, there is some evidence that says otherwise. If you have these conditions check with your natural healthcare practitioner before consuming sole. 

Have you ever made sole water? How did you like it? Share below!

Sources
  1. Collins, J. et al. (2021). Anti-inflammatory effect of salt water and chlorhexidine 0.12% mouthrinse after periodontal surgery: a randomized prospective clinical study. Clinical oral investigations, 25(7), 4349–4357.
  2. Vitiello, M. V., Prinz, P. N., & Halter, J. B. (1983). Sodium-restricted diet increases nighttime plasma norepinephrine and impairs sleep patterns in man. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism56(3), 553–556.
  3. Othman, F., et al. (2019). Factors Associated with High Sodium Intake Assessed from 24-hour Urinary Excretion and the Potential Effect of Energy Intake. Journal of nutrition and metabolism2019, 6781597.
  4. Takeuchi, H., et al. (2020). Drinking Refined Deep-Sea Water Improves the Gut Ecosystem with Beneficial Effects on Intestinal Health in Humans: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial. Nutrients12(9), 2646.
  5. Ogihara, T., et al. (2002). High-salt diet enhances insulin signaling and induces insulin resistance in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)40(1), 83–89.
  6. Garg, R., et al.(2011). Low-salt diet increases insulin resistance in healthy subjects. Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 60(7), 965–968.
  7. Aragón-Vela, J., et al. (2022). Physiological Benefits and Performance of Sea Water Ingestion for Athletes in Endurance Events: A Systematic Review. Nutrients14(21), 4609.

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

682 responses to “The Benefits of Sole Water”

  1. Tracey Tee Avatar
    Tracey Tee

    Our water is from our own well – do I still need to filter? (I like getting the natural minerals etc from our aquifer 🙂

  2. Jeannie Martin Avatar
    Jeannie Martin

    I just started making Sole. The one teaspoon made me so nauseated. I am adding just a half of a teaspoon and can choke it down. Is it still beneficial?
    Jeannie

    1. Jamie Larrison Avatar

      Yes, using some salt is still helpful. Personally I like to just take a little salt straight and then chug some water instead of drinking the salt in the water. It’s easier for me to get down.

      1. Jocelyne Avatar

        Please, How much is “a little salt” that you take straight, l would rather do that than making the sole water……

        1. Jamie Larrison Avatar

          Personally I take about 1/8 teaspoon. There are some additional benefits to sole water and it’s generally recommended to only take 1 teaspoon at a time (but start out with less and work up). So you might be able to take a small amount of sole water and then chase it with a glass of water if you prefer that option.

  3. Mary Avatar

    I made and am up to 5 . Katie says to start with 1 tsp and work up. Work up to how much?
    Thank you

  4. Stephanie Avatar

    Is this basically home made trace mineral drops? Or does something like Concentrace Trace minerals have different benefits?

    1. Kelly Avatar

      Walmart sells plastic wide mouth and regular mouth lids for Mason jars.

    2. Lori Avatar

      I would like to know how many ounces of water or what size mason jar to use. Would this be a 1 quart or 2 quart jar or??

      1. Robert DeBeaux Avatar
        Robert DeBeaux

        As I understand the process, when you ingest raw salt, your body uses water to process the salt. It you ingest the salt then drink, you are using your body’s stores to process the salt you just took. then, before you can process it in your stomach, you flush the unprocessed (non dissolved salt) into your intestines.
        Sole method allows for the complete dissolution of the salt in water that is INSTANTLY accepted in your body without using your water to process it.
        Taking a healthy salt is good for you (minding the daily limit) but taking it using the SOLE method maximizes the absorption.

  5. Nicole Avatar

    Does anyone know how this salt water would interact with someone who is on chemo? It was a recent diagnosis and I’m just scouring the Internet for ways to hydrate, since my mom is struggle with the hydration and food intake. Many thanks for your help in advance!

  6. Jessica Reis Avatar
    Jessica Reis

    I used warmer water to dissolve the salt at first.

    I see people are figuring out metal is not a good way to stir the salt- would it also not be a good idea to put the metal lids that typically come with mason jars on top to store in between uses?

    I placed wax paper with the rim of a mason jar lid.

  7. Telisha Avatar

    Hi just curious my holistic doctor has me drinking 1tsp per 20 oz bottles of water per day (8 bottles total daily) with a half lemon added for digestive issues, is it safe to consume 8 bottles of salt water a day?

  8. Rachel Murray Avatar
    Rachel Murray

    Hello! Thank you for all the wonderful work you do!
    I was just wondering if you know how much salt is dissolved in a tsp of sole water? I thought a simple google search would provide the answers but have come up empty handed ?

    1. Miho Avatar

      I have been taking it for years. My skin is much smoother, and no more stuffy nose. I haven’t been sick for a long time.

  9. Araina Avatar

    How do you drink this if it makes you nauseous feeling?

    Also will this affect kidney stones?

    I’m able to eat the salt but in water it does something else

    Help

  10. Farrah Avatar

    Can the Sole just be added to a 2 qt pitcher & be drank throughout the day vs the shot in the morning!?

    Thanks!

5 from 2 votes

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