We've all heard it before: a diet high in sodium is dangerous for our health. So when cooking at home, there are little steps we can take to reduce our intake of salt at the table. But what about when eating out or buying packaged foods at the grocery store?
Sure we love a sprinkle of sea salt on our eggs just like the next person. And you simply need salt to season many recipes and amp up certain flavor profiles. But, like with anything, moderation is key. So what's a salt-loving cook to do?
In her recent article for NPR, April Fulton largely discusses avoiding processed foods but she also has a few interesting at-home suggestions. She discusses how folks can try and cut out salt altogether for three weeks and then slowly add it back in. This will recalibrate the taste buds, so a little salt will start to go a very long ways. She also mentions adding salt to the finished product instead of using it throughout the cooking process.
Other Helpful Tips:
• Use unsalted butter in baking to control the amount of salt in the final product.
• Get excited about spices, and start to rely on them instead of salt. Experiment with Hungarian paprika, garlic, and interesting ground peppers.
• Get acquainted with unsalted nuts for snacking, cooking, and baking. You'll start to appreciate their natural flavors more than just what they're seasoned with.
• Read labels on lunch meats and cheeses: there's often an incredible amount of unexpected sodium in these sandwich-ready products.
Related: How Can We Make Flavorful Meals Without Salt?
(Image: Flickr member Too Far North licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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Its true that if you cut it out then reintroduce it works. My dad had a heart attack at a young age and so we all learned to eat without salt. I today find many foods too salty. I do occasionally want something salty like chips and I eat them and I'm done with it. The same is true for sweets but I do have a sweet tooth but I often find many things too sweet.
For most people, salt does not pose a significant health risk. For those who have blood pressure that is adversely affected by salt, there is a health risk. If high blood pressure is a problem, doctors recommend cutting salt out of the diet and seeing if it makes a difference. It didn't lower my husband's BP one iota, so his doctor said go back to using salt, it's not a problem for you.
The question is - WHY cut back on salt? I agree that salt should be consumed mainly as a flavor enhancer, and not because you're craving the taste of salt. And I try to avoid all processed foods (when we do eat deli meats, I get the lower sodium kinds).
But why is salt so vilified? Studies that link it to high blood pressure and heart disease are countered by studies that indicate that lack of salt leads to heart disease (see here: http://www.good.is/post/is-salt-actually-bad-for-you-new-research-adds-to-the-confusion/).
So while yes, it's definitely a good idea to cut out processed foods from your diet, don't be so terrified of adding a pinch of salt to your meal. Especially idodized salt. And especially if you're drinking a lot of water. Lots of water + no salt = water poisoning.
I always undersalt a bit when cooking. I like a little more salt than my boyfriend does, so I add it at the table. Especially to things like soups or mashed potatoes.
If you're trying to avoid salt out of concern for your health, you shouldn't be eating "packaged foods" anyway. Hidden sources of sodium are the least of you worries if you're eating processed foods.
I agree with others - salt, from what I understand, does not cause high blood pressure. Cutting back on salt can reduce high blood pressure but it's probably better to find out why people get this disorder to begin with. Read Salted by Mark Bitterman on artesinal salts for a good product as well.
I agree with the others too--I don't have high blood pressure and my doctor says it's perfectly fine to go on eating as much salt as I want. There are studies that show there may be absolutely no connection between salt intake and blood pressure. That being said, if your doctor recommends reducing it, the easiest way to do so is to cut out processes and packaged foods. The amount of salt used in cooking is relatively minimal.
I agree with April Fulton totally. And as far as health concerns go, if you don't have high blood pressure, it's still a good idea to limit salt intake due to the stress on your kidneys. I know that I do not want kidney stones. Drinking plenty of water helps too.
Anyway, I grew up on a diet that was mostly based on canned food, Lucky Charms, and potato chips and when I switched to whole foods vegetarian in my late teens, it was kind of hard to adjust. But once you learn a little skill with the spices, that's all you want anyway. And I recently discovered Emeril's Essence spice blend which I put in chili, posole, eggs, beans, rice... so good! The worst by far are processed foods, which I think everyone on this site knows already. And what do you guys think about hot sauce? My boyfriend uses it on practically everything, and it seems kind of high in sodium...?
One healthy alternative to salt in regular cooking is dulse flakes. Also, when I make popcorn I sprinkle it with nutritional yeast, which has a salty/cheesy flavor but is much better for the body than salt and cheese.
Regardless, why not explore seasonings other than salt? It's unlikely to be bad for you and it's good to expand your palate....
Related to yesterday's "quick recipe" post--that's why a long recipe list if it's lots of spices isn't a no-go for me--but if the main flavoring is salt and butter? That's an automatic no.
Also, the physiology is a bit more complicated than no salt + water = water poisoning. Pretty much if you're not debilitated in some way (or doing one of those crazy contests like that person that died a few years ago) and you eat any food, even with minimal sodium, you're not in any danger of "water poisoning"
I also don't have high blood pressure and choose to not limit salt when I am cooking but yet always monitor the sodium content when I am buying packaged goods. Granted, I don't eat alot of prepared items but for those that I do, sodium content is as much of a determinant if I buy something as the ingredient list, calorie count and fat content (in that order).
One of the most interesting things to me about the sodium scare is that the RDI of sodium in Canada and Britain is significantly higher than that of the United States. Also, when I was in Spain, I recall seeing an RDI of close to 3,330 mg...1,000 more than in Canada/UK...
Anyone know how this is decided?
I make sure to consume adequate salt to keep my blood pressure up, and it works. Simple osmotic chemistry in the kidneys, etc. Probably works the other way around too.
I do not think home cooking would be the culprit for someone looking to lower their sodium intake. Packaged foods FTW, it's incredible how much sodium is in a slice of lunch meat for example.
I don't pay much attention to how 'healthy' the amount of salt is in my cooking, and I'm a pretty healthy weight. I do notice when I'm stuck going to an Applebee's or other chain that the food is almost unbearably salty to me. This sort of proves to me that I've trained my buds to not need as much salt as the average person...assuming Applebee's is targeting the average person.
Thekitchn... I am oh so disappointed with this post. For those without High blood pressure (especially really active people) salt ain't no bad thing! One of the great pleasures of dining :)
I agree with everyone's posts/perspective - there are so many differing schools of thought on this issue. Bottom line - everything in moderation!
I grew up without adding salt to food- its just something we didn't do. The only salt we ate was that already added to food, like in a packet of chips. So now I have little need or want to add salt to food- it tastes fine without it to me.
As a soon to be RD (take the exam next week!) I'd like to comment with some of the info I've been privy to.
In the US the recommendation is 2400 mg per day, about a full teaspoon. People who are "salt sensitive" (which a Dr. determines) do react more negatively to salt and are therefore restricted further. African Americans are also at higher risk and should limit sodium.
The SINGLE change that will have the greatest impact on BP is losing weight.
High blood pressure is somewhat hereditary (the salt sensitive folks are included here) but after a certain age nearly everyone develops high blood pressure; however, that's no reason to go crazy with the salt shaker...no one wants to end up blowing out their kidneys and having to show up for dialysis for 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for the rest of their lives.
Salt (along with other electrolytes such as potassium and chloride) is tightly regulated by the kidneys and this is where a lot of the damage occurs with high BP. Healthy kidneys can manage fluctuations but there are plenty of reasons to be cognizant of the recommendations.
So, the moral of the story is, consume salt in moderation, maintain a healthy weight and limit sodium if you are predisposed or salt sensitive.
I have *low* blood pressure, and I fall over a lot if I don't eat enough salt. I am very, very tired of low-sodium everything and being told that everyone should cut back on salt. Generalizations are nearly always wrong.