It seems as if we're constantly hearing about how Americans eat too much salt. With the increase in consumption of processed foods, we're certainly seeing higher levels of sodium being consumed on a daily basis. Unfortunately, high levels of sodium intake can increase blood pressure which can lead to stroke or heart disease. Another major source of sodium comes from restaurant food. One study showed that cutting the sodium content of packaged foods and restaurant foods in half would save up to 150,000 lives per yea. If you're concerned about sodium intake, are salt substitutes a healthy option?
The government currently recommends that Americans consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day which is the equivalent of about a teaspoon of salt. This may not sound difficult until you consider that 2,300 mg of sodium is your total sodium intake for the entire day including the foods that you eat. If you've ever read the labels on many canned and packaged foods, you'll see how quickly this total can add up.
For people who feel compelled to add salt as seasoning to every plate of food they eat, the market has provided salt free substitutes to add flavor without increasing sodium intake. These salt substitutes contain potassium chloride as a substitute for the sodium chloride found in standard table salt. Although this sounds like the ideal solution, salt substitutes do have their drawbacks.
Salt substitutes are often shunned for their taste. Although many of the makers of these salt mimics claim they taste like salt, the average person would likely disagree with this citing their rather bitter aftertaste. Another problem is people with kidney disease can't readily eliminate potassium through the kidneys which can build up in the body resulting in potentially life threatening consequences.
For the normal person without kidney disease, salt free substitutes can be an option for limiting sodium intake. Some people are able to adjust to the slight bitterness of the fake salts over time and will find them acceptable from a taste standpoint. A better goal might be to learn to overcome salt cravings by substituting heart healthy spices such as garlic, powdered onion, ground pepper, oregano, basil, and a whole host of other spices that add impact and flavor to food. This will allow you to not only eat a heart healthy, low sodium diet, but you'll also be expanding your culinary horizons.
Another option related to salt substitutes is a light salt. A light salt will contain a mixture of sodium chloride and potassium chloride which gives it half the sodium content of table salt. Because it does have actual table salt in it, the taste tends to be less bitter and more salt like, giving it a wider appeal.
If you're trying to reduce your sodium intake, salt free substitutes or a light salt may be a viable alternative for you if you have normal kidneys, but don't forget about the wonderful world of gourmet spices and herbs that may taste so good that you never miss the salt.
