Make it Tasty

We Americans are indeed salt lovers. We grew up on it and it is part of our way of life. There was probably not one table in America that did not have the salt shaker right there. But time has changed us and for those of us who love being creative in the kitchen, we know there are ways to make things a bit more interesting and tasty, sans salt. 

Here are a few things I think about when I want to cut back on the salt. First, as Americans, we get too much. And secondly, we need to know that 1 in 3 Americans have hypertension which is highly connected to heart disease. We know that an overabundance of salt is found in processed foods. And the more you eat out in restaurants, the more salt you are likely to get.  Eating out gives you little ability to be aware of how much salt you are getting so at least cooking at home can help you start to be more aware of this additive. 

There will be some shocking discoveries. We all know that Asian diets are typically high in sodium because of the use of Soy sauce and salty fish. On my recent inspection of the nutrition label of Kikkoman soy sauce, I am shown that 1 tablespoon of soy sauce contains 940 mg of sodium.  While water chestnuts have only 5.4 mg for ½ cup. What a range! Other surprisingly high sodium counts are found in banned beans and the pre-made stocks and soups that are in the grocery store. 

On this subject, you should know that Americans are said to eat at least twice as much sodium as recommended for a healthy diet. Generally, most 

Of use have over 2300 mg a day, but American Heart Association recommends we have 1500 mg a day, for those over 51. And it is really not so hard to make little changes as you start to cook more at home. 

For me, I have honed in a few recipes that have very little sodium and lots of taste. Starting with a very low sodium food such as brown rice, and adding lime juice and cilantro, you will be delighted by how the brown rice takes on a new, and sunny personality. If you cook enough to have leftovers, which you should, you can make your own rice bowl.  This “next day” rice, is even better since it has had time to meld its citrusy flavors and can be enjoyed as a cold salad dish with shrimp, fish or other protein, steamed veggies, or nice ripe tomato or cucumber. 

Citrus is always a wonderful way to enliven your food with less salt. Heart-healthy salmon can be cooked to perfection in about 20 minutes in a 300-degree oven and with the addition of orange and lemon slices, red onions, and an abundance of dill, Italian parsley, and thyme and you will find everyone, forgetting the salt and loving this delightful reminder of spring. 

Just as we have had to wean ourselves off of sugar, we can also start to think of doing it with less salt. 

It’s another beautiful step in the direction of a healthier you.