About Salt

Just a little rant today! Do you know how much salt you should consume in a day, and how much you actually eat? Most Americans should eat less than 2400 mg of sodium per day. That sounds like a lot, but consider this: one teaspoon of salt has 2325 mg of sodium. That's one teaspoon! In the UK, the recommendation is 1600 mg. And how many of us actually follow this recommendation? Some studies show that Americans consume at least 2300 mg of sodium per day, some as high as 20,000 mg!

If you make a recipe and salt each layer, as many chefs tell you to, you can easily go over your sodium limit. And that's added salt; did you know 75% of the sodium you consume is hidden in processed foods?

Only about 10% of the population is actually salt-sensitive; that is, salt intake increases blood pressure. Sodium deficiency in this country is very rare; that's not something you have to worry about. Researchers now think it may be the balance between sodium, calcium, and magnesium that can lead to high blood pressure. Too much sodium can throw that balance out of whack.

Start by cutting the amount of sodium you use in recipes by half. My recipes have less salt than many, simply because I've been conscious of this problem for years and my taste buds have adjusted. Use other ingredients, like spices, herbs, lemon, and pepper to add flavor. And get used to the natural taste of foods, which too much salt can mask.

Here are some low-salt recipes:

• Orange Roughy with Peppers
• No Salt Seasoning Mix
• Slow Cooker Fajita Stew
• Madras Chicken