Adapted from Norene’s Healthy Kitchen by Norene Gilletz
Shake it Up, Baby!
- Kosher salt is additive-free. Table salt contains additives, including iodine.
“Sea”-soning!
- Sea salt, either fine-grained or large crystals, is produced by the evaporation of sea water. Sea salt contains trace amounts of minerals.
- The sodium content of fine-grain sea salt is comparable to table salt.The sodium content of coarse sea salt is comparable to Kosher salt.
Weighing in on Salt:
- Did you know that 1 tsp. of Kosher salt contains less sodium than 1 tsp. of table salt? That’s because Kosher salt has a larger grain, so less salt fits in the spoon!
- If you measure by volume, the sodiium content will be lower for Kosher salt than for table salt. If you measure by weight, the sodium content will be the same.
How Much is Enough?
- The current recommended sodium intake is about 2,400 mg a day (about 1 tsp) but less is better (1,500 or less), especially for middle-age and older adults, and for people with high blood pressure. Most people eat around 4,000 to 5,000 mg of sodium a day (about 2 tsp of salt). Blood pressure creeps up as we age, so cutting back on salt can prevent or delay the inevitable rise.
Go Slow:
- The best approach is to gradually reduce the amount of salt you use when preparing foods. Try using half to one-quarter of the amount stated in the recipe. You can always add salt at the table.
Shake it Up?
- Each shake of the salt shaker equals about 40 mg sodium! Instead of adding salt to foods, add a squeeze of lemon or lime, a splash of vinegar, a drizzle of low-sodium soy sauce, a dash of pepper, or a sprinkling of different herbs.
What to Use?
- Many chefs prefer the clean taste and texture of Kosher salt.
- Chefs often use sea salt as a finishing salt, adding it to foods just before serving.
- As a general guideline, use table salt in cooking and baking.
- For cooked foods, salads, veggies, etc. season them with either Kosher salt or sea salt, sprinkling it on at the last minute.
Hide and Salt!
- Salt-free doesn’t mean sodium-free. Foods with no salt added can still contain sodium, which can be in many forms – not just as table salt or sodium chloride. It also comes as sodium benzoate (a preservative), sodium nitrate (found in processed meats), and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Even baking powder, baking soda, diet colas, sport drinks, and sparkling mineral water contain sodium.