On average, Americans consume at least 3,400 mg of sodium a day. A healthy person should have no more than 2,300 mg of sodium (which is just 1 tsp of table salt), and many people need to limit their sodium intake to 1,500 mg each day. An ugly side effect of too much sodium is fluid retention and deterioration of certain health conditions.
Cutting back on your salt intake does not have to result in bland food. It does take practice to reach your food’s full-flavor potential. Just like you need to practice a sport to win a game, you need to practice healthy cooking to cultivate your healthy cooking skills to win big in the taste department.
In honor of March’s National Nutrition Month, here are practical tips on how to keep your heart healthy by eliminating excess sodium in your diet without compromising flavor — and while maintaining or enhancing the nutritional value of your food:
1. Eat close to nature because Mother Earth knows best. Get rid of as many store-bought processed foods from your diet as possible. Select foods that are just one ingredient (such as fruit, vegetables, grains and beans), plus food products that include small ingredient lists in which you can pronounce and recognize all of the foods.
Did you know a large stalk of celery naturally has 51 mg of sodium? You can acquire your body’s minimum sodium requirements naturally from whole foods.
2. Eat in-season and as fresh as possible. Visit local farmers markets, and don’t let your food sit around in your fridge for a long period of time. Not only will the food lose taste but the nutritional profile will diminish as well.
Did you know that once produce has been reaped, the nutritional value immediately starts to diminish? Consider growing some of your own produce with hyper-local farm-to-table ingredients. In fact, fresh herbs can be grown indoors.
3. Cooking methods matter. Stir-fry or steaming may be your go-to cooking method, but a new cooking method may unlock flavors of your foods that you never knew existed. I love roasting veggies that are lightly dressed with olive oil.
Did you know that caramelizing, roasting, searing, roasting and toasting refer to different ways of cooking but all yield the same result of “browning?” The end goal of all these methods is to bring out the natural sweetness in foods and intensify flavors and aromas. If a recipe calls for nuts, take a stab at toasting them, and you’ll receive a value added taste bonus.
4. Think outside the box. Be aware of the hidden sources of sodium. A food can be high in sodium but not taste “salty.” Check the sodium amounts on the nutrition label of sauces, instant foods, condiments, cured or smoked meats, cheeses, picked foods, snack foods, dressings and mixed seasonings.
Did you know that the leading source of sodium in our diet actually comes from bread? On average, a slice of bread contains 260 to 400 mg of sodium.
5. Spice is nice! Start expanding your spice repertoire by purchasing an unfamiliar spice, and seek out new recipes that incorporate it. Investigate different cultural recipes from regions around the globe, and test your seasonings in both savory and sweet dishes. Once you become a single spice expert, try different spice combinations for a more complex flavor.
Did you know that dried herbs are more concentrated than their fresh counterparts? This is due to the lower water content. You can still use the dried and fresh interchangeably with the proper conversion: 1 part dried herb is equal to 3 parts fresh herbs.
6. Add some zing by going hot, hot, HOT! Hot sauces tend to be high in sodium, but you can find some prepared without salt. Other ways to add heat to your dish is with red pepper flakes, cayenne, freshly-cracked black pepper, fresh hot peppers and dried chili peppers.
Did you know that all spices have a high concentration of antioxidants that supply profound health benefits? As a bonus benefit, hot peppers can instantaneously improve concentration from increasing your blood circulation. Additionally, studies show that the pungent sensation can aid in weight loss, invoking a feeling of satiation from eating less food than usual.
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How to Reduce Salt in Your Diet and Still Enjoy Flavorful Food originally appeared on usnews.com
