Sodium Substitutes?

[mkyang]

Does anyone have any good recommendations that are simple, yet effective ways to substitute salt. I've tried spices, but still cannot get that ZING flavor that salt has no matter what spices or herbs I use.

I found this neat article recently from Shape Magazine (supportweightloss.com/sodium-in-food.html) talking about how many foods that we eat and don't even think about contain a high sodium level. It also says that the max limit should be around 2,300 mg a day, and 90% of the population (including myself) is guilty of going way over that limit.

Maybe that's a good start or does anyone have any better suggestions?

 

[Mama Mangia]

We have a very knowlegeable member here - jpshaw - and to me he is an expert on this subject. He does a fabulous job reducing the sodium in recipes! I bet he has something to ass for you.

 

[jpshaw]

Welcome to Spice Place mkwang. There are a number of salt free seasonings and Mama has some of them but if you are looking for that zing you get with salt you have only one alternative. That is a salt substitute. There are quite a few on the market. Morten salt has one and the one I find the most is No-Salt in Louisiana. They all are the same thing: Potassium Chloride with some additives to kill the aftertaste. You have sodium salts and potassium salts and this is the potassium one. Potassium has a bitterness that mimics salt quite well but is totally sodium free. Some who have tried it don't like it but if you will go without salt for about one week before you try it you WILL love it. One word of caution. Potassium is a normal ingredient in most foods but if you go overboard you can get too much of it. So limit it to your recipes and don't just pour it all over your food at the table. If you find you like it, and I'm sure you will, you might want to limit your intake of high potassium foods like orange juice, bananas and even tomatoes while using a lot of it.

Also for heart patients who are on diuretics (fluid pills) most Drs will also prescribe a very large pill called Chlor Kon which is also potassium chloride. So check with your Dr or cut back some on that pill before you get too much of it.

 

[jpshaw]

One of the first things to do is cut back on high sodium foods such as pizza (sorry Mama), ham, sausage, all canned meats, deli meats and cheese. Also limit bread, or make your own, milk also is full of salt. Use unsalted butter, frozen foods instead of canned but check the sodium levels on it first since if it's seasoned it's full of salt. When you buy canned goods look for No Salt Added products (has a small red ban across the front) and you can find them in tomato products such as sauce, corn and green beans and peas. Shop the produce section most of the time since God doesn't salt the food as much as we do. Plus google Dick Logue to get a bunch of low sodium recipes. He has a website plus a great cookbook. Good luck and if you need a recipe for anything just ask for it on forum. Mama or I will get back to you.