An Assault on Salt

We're not suggesting that you banish salt from your diet. The components of salt, sodium and chloride, are essential nutrients, and with potassium, they are the main regulators of the body's water-balance system. The average person in the United States consumes between two to three teaspoons of salt a day-about 20 times the amount of sodium really needed. For most people, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommends 2,200 mg of sodium as a desirable daily intake. That is equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Check with your health care team for their recommendations for you.

Here on this website, we use salt as an optional ingredient in most recipes, calling for it in small amounts when necessary, such as in baked goods. Since recipes ingredients carry sodium, we flag any recipes which are high in sodium (above 800 mg/per serving) and suggest ways to reduce the sodium intake. Reduced sodium versions of soy sauce, canned tomatoes, and canned chicken or beef broth are always called for. Naturally salty foods such as anchovies, capers, dill pickles, canned tuna, etc. are used in moderation.

Here are some ways to keep salt under control:

• Cook without salt, and taste the food before adding it after it's cooked. Once you've cut back on salt, you'll find few foods actually need very little, if any.
• Retrain your taste buds to appreciate herbs and spices in place of salt. Basil, bay, dill, marjoram, mint, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, and thyme are particularly good salt replacement herbs.
• Read the labels on the foods that you buy at the store and, whenever possible, choose low-salt, reduced-salt, or no-salt-added versions of a product.
• Check out your drinking water. If your home has a water-softener, drink bottled water. Ask your local water district how much sodium comes out of your tap. If it totals more than 45 parts per million, attach a sodium filter to the kitchen faucets.
• Eat more potassium-rich foods, such as oranges, bananas, mangos, cantaloupe, dried peas and beans-you'll excrete more sodium in your urine than the average person. However, unless your physician prescribes them, don't take potassium supplements as too much potassium can cause nausea, vomiting, and even irregular heartbeat.

You can purchase a salt-free herb seasoning in the spice section of most grocery stores, but it may contain a salt substitute that can be harmful to some. Besides, it's easy (and much cheaper) to make your own. This is one that we developed for our James Beard Cookbook Award-winning Joslin Diabetes Gourmet Cookbook. Use it as a salt replacement on salads, vegetables, fish, and baked potatoes.

2 tablespoons (30 ml) crushed dried basil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) dried dill weed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) crushed dried mint
1 tablespoon (15 ml) crushed dried tarragon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) crushed dried thyme

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Store in a spice jar away from heat and light. Use within 1 month.