Salt Substitutes?

[ChrisW]

I am trying to do better.  I am not a sweet eater but I love chips, crackers, olives.  All loaded with salt and I notice I swell when I eat them.  Any ideas on a good spice or combination of spices that might be better?

[Qapla]

With enough black pepper and hot sauce you will never miss the salt ...

[dove]

 I never use common table salt, the body doesn't know what to do with it. I've always used a form of sea salt, like Himalayan Pink Salt, etc, but recently I started using a salt alternative called, 'Green Salt'. It contains  50% less sodium so it may not cause edema as much, if at all.  It's lighter than normal salt, more like a powder and you can use twice the volume and still get 50% less sodium.  It also helps with high blood pressure.

It's made from dehydrated Salicornia, or sea asparagus.

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Dove

[Qapla]

Some interesting facts about

 

 

 

 

Table salt is typically harvested using solution mining, a process in which wells are erected over salt beds and water is injected to dissolve the salt.  The final product is between 97-99% pure sodium chloride

 

Sea salt’s color and flavor profile are determined by its source, how it was processed, and its content of minerals such as zinc, potassium, iron, or naturally-occurring iodine. However, these minerals occur in trace amounts, leaving sea salt with the approximately same amount of sodium per weight as any other salt. 

 

Due to its mineral content, Himalayan pink salt is often also thought of as one of the healthiest salts. However, because these minerals are in insignificant amounts. there are no proven health advantages to using Himalayan salt. This salt is still predominantly sodium chloride and provides the same amount of sodium per weight as any other salt.

https://www.purelyplanted.com/post/which-type-of-salt-is-healthiest#:~:text=Due to its mineral content,one of the healthiest salts.

 

 

“Salt is salt is salt, whether it’s pink or white or in tiny crystals or large flakes — it’s not good for us, and sea salt is no more healthy than table salt in terms of its effect on blood pressure and heart health” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, cardiologist at The Mount Sinai Hospital and volunteer medical expert for American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women. The main difference is in the size of the flakes. Bigger crystals from sea, Himalayan and kosher salt take up more room in your measuring spoon so if you measure your salt versus salting to taste, you may take in a little less, she says. “The question isn’t about what type of salt is being used, it’s about how much is being used.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/sea-salt-healthier-regular-salt-ncna973056

[ChrisW]

33 minutes ago, Qapla said:

With enough black pepper and hot sauce you will never miss the salt ...

I love them both. LOL

[ChrisW]

31 minutes ago, Dove said:

 I never use common table salt, the body doesn't know what to do with it. I've always used a form of sea salt, like Himalayan Pink Salt, etc, but recently I started using a salt alternative called, 'Green Salt'. It contains  50% less sodium so it may not cause edema as much, if at all.  It's lighter than normal salt, more like a powder and you can use twice the volume and still get 50% less sodium.  It also helps with high blood pressure.

It's made from dehydrated Salicornia, or sea asparagus.

 

I've seen this before.  I've tried it but wasn't sure about the taste.  I may have to find where i put it and try again.

[ChrisW]

13 minutes ago, Qapla said:

Some interesting facts about

 

 

 

 

Table salt is typically harvested using solution mining, a process in which wells are erected over salt beds and water is injected to dissolve the salt.  The final product is between 97-99% pure sodium chloride

 

Sea salt’s color and flavor profile are determined by its source, how it was processed, and its content of minerals such as zinc, potassium, iron, or naturally-occurring iodine. However, these minerals occur in trace amounts, leaving sea salt with the approximately same amount of sodium per weight as any other salt. 

 

Due to its mineral content, Himalayan pink salt is often also thought of as one of the healthiest salts. However, because these minerals are in insignificant amounts. there are no proven health advantages to using Himalayan salt. This salt is still predominantly sodium chloride and provides the same amount of sodium per weight as any other salt.

https://www.purelyplanted.com/post/which-type-of-salt-is-healthiest#:~:text=Due to its mineral content,one of the healthiest salts.

 

 

“Salt is salt is salt, whether it’s pink or white or in tiny crystals or large flakes — it’s not good for us, and sea salt is no more healthy than table salt in terms of its effect on blood pressure and heart health” says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, cardiologist at The Mount Sinai Hospital and volunteer medical expert for American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women. The main difference is in the size of the flakes. Bigger crystals from sea, Himalayan and kosher salt take up more room in your measuring spoon so if you measure your salt versus salting to taste, you may take in a little less, she says. “The question isn’t about what type of salt is being used, it’s about how much is being used.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/sea-salt-healthier-regular-salt-ncna973056

That's interesting...so what do you use?

[Qapla]

[New World Explorer]

I try to avoid salt in any shape and form.

I do have high blood pressure, therefore I plan to go into new system "salt-less" 😉

[dove]

We can’t live without salt. It’s one of the four electrolytes. But there’s no way you can avoid it  anyway because it’s in everything.

[BLEmom]

1 hour ago, Dove said:

 I never use common table salt, the body doesn't know what to do with it. I've always used a form of sea salt, like Himalayan Pink Salt, etc, but recently I started using a salt alternative called, 'Green Salt'. It contains  50% less sodium so it may not cause edema as much, if at all.  It's lighter than normal salt, more like a powder and you can use twice the volume and still get 50% less sodium.  It also helps with high blood pressure.

It's made from dehydrated Salicornia, or sea asparagus.

 

I was going to recommend the same thing 

[Amygdala]

I find tumeric gives a little bit of a salty flavour to my meals, so I use it quite regularly. I also use a variety of spices like wild garlic or herbs that enhance meals. Sometimes adding in a little bit of lemon juice gives foods that extra kick.

[daydream]

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/turmeric-and-black-pepper#bottom-line

Quote

 

Turmeric and black pepper each have health benefits, due to the compounds curcumin and piperine.

As piperine enhances curcumin absorption in the body by up to 2,000%, combining the spices magnifies their effects.

They may reduce inflammation and improve digestion, particularly in supplement form.

 

For me, I just eat lots of curry where I get the synergistic benefits of turmeric, coconut oil and chilli. Delicious combination.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Imagine

[Pabo]

12 hours ago, jwmom said:

I am trying to do better.  I am not a sweet eater but I love chips, crackers, olives.  All loaded with salt and I notice I swell when I eat them.  Any ideas on a good spice or combination of spices that might be better?

 

You may well be best to see what other ingredients there are in your favorite snack foods. There will be other chemicals added to process to either enhance the flavouring, the crispiness, or the shelf life of the product that may cause you to swell. As these food are ultra-processed, you will find that eating these are generally not the best to eat either way.

 

There have been studies about salt causing weight gain, but they attribute that to of the sodium intake. Any salt that contains sodium is what you need to watch out for and it includes 90% of the salt range. The finer the salt, the higher the sodium level you will intake. And with ultra processed foods, the salt used here are very fine. They say using coarse sea salt flakes are the best to use, due to their larger size but also you notice the taste with their larger size. We use this as our main flavour enhancer if we had it to our dish, but I use it sparingly myself, whereas my wife does like to have food with her salt (that is worded correctly). But we will use iodised cooking salt when used in the boiling of water for blanching and cooking pasta, as my wife's family does have thyroid issues and iodine seems to assist with it.

 

Even MSG (MonoSodium Glutamate) has sodium in it, but it has only a 1/3 of sodium compared to any other table salt. It is a amino acid which is found in many foods naturally, such as meat, poultry, fish, cheese and milk, and also very high traces in vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, capsicums and few other vegetables. The issue for some people who are truly sensitive to it, it does cause many issues so they are best to stay away from it. If you can eat Italian food, but not "Chinese" or Asian food, you don't have a MSG problem, but a psychological problem, as Italian cuisine naturally have higher MSG amounts than the "Chinese" equivalent food even if the MSG was added to their food. There is a documentary highlighting this and did the actual scenario by taking people to a Italian restaurant and they consumed everything put before them with no side effects, whereas when they went into a Asian restaurant, they all couldn't even bear to eat it and some complained of having side effects after consuming some of it, but there wasn't a trace of MSG used at all and contained no food that had no or minute amounts of MSG other than the Italian counterparts.

 

There are other salts that can be used to get that "salty" taste, but their effects on the human body are not as studied as much. You could use Potassium salt (Potassium Chloride) which has no sodium at all, but there have been some noted risks for some.

 

As for olives, do you preferred those in brine or oil? The ones that are preserved in oil are generally more better for you, but those in brine do have other health benefits.

 

When having fried chips, try thick mint sauce and ground black pepper. Or sprinkle brown vinegar with coarse flaked sea salt, or even sprinkling of some soy sauce (the Japanese made ones are better for chips whereas the other Asian ones are better for cooking).

[Ishaya]

Sister Christine,I think you should first be sure you're not hypertensive or have risk factors for it,I noticed that caveat hasn't been mentioned.

Generally I caution salt intake in the elderly.

 

About spices,

Here in Nigeria we make most of our spices ourselves, not sure if its possible in your place.

Typically we mix pepper,salt,seasoning, ginger,garlic in a fine blend that gives good taste to almost any meal.

 

But how exactly do you mean by the "swelling" your experience when you take those salty chips and snacks? Is it just stomach bloating or generalized body swelling?

[ChrisW]

1 hour ago, Ishaya said:

Generally I caution salt intake in the elderly.

 

😐 I'm not going to ask for clarification. 🤪 Lol 

[ChrisW]

4 hours ago, Pabo said:

 

You may well be best to see what other ingredients there are in your favorite snack foods. There will be other chemicals added to process to either enhance the flavouring, the crispiness, or the shelf life of the product that may cause you to swell. As these food are ultra-processed, you will find that eating these are generally not the best to eat either way.

 

There have been studies about salt causing weight gain, but they attribute that to of the sodium intake. Any salt that contains sodium is what you need to watch out for and it includes 90% of the salt range. The finer the salt, the higher the sodium level you will intake. And with ultra processed foods, the salt used here are very fine. They say using coarse sea salt flakes are the best to use, due to their larger size but also you notice the taste with their larger size. We use this as our main flavour enhancer if we had it to our dish, but I use it sparingly myself, whereas my wife does like to have food with her salt (that is worded correctly). But we will use iodised cooking salt when used in the boiling of water for blanching and cooking pasta, as my wife's family does have thyroid issues and iodine seems to assist with it.

 

Even MSG (MonoSodium Glutamate) has sodium in it, but it has only a 1/3 of sodium compared to any other table salt. It is a amino acid which is found in many foods naturally, such as meat, poultry, fish, cheese and milk, and also very high traces in vegetables such as tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, capsicums and few other vegetables. The issue for some people who are truly sensitive to it, it does cause many issues so they are best to stay away from it. If you can eat Italian food, but not "Chinese" or Asian food, you don't have a MSG problem, but a psychological problem, as Italian cuisine naturally have higher MSG amounts than the "Chinese" equivalent food even if the MSG was added to their food. There is a documentary highlighting this and did the actual scenario by taking people to a Italian restaurant and they consumed everything put before them with no side effects, whereas when they went into a Asian restaurant, they all couldn't even bear to eat it and some complained of having side effects after consuming some of it, but there wasn't a trace of MSG used at all and contained no food that had no or minute amounts of MSG other than the Italian counterparts.

 

There are other salts that can be used to get that "salty" taste, but their effects on the human body are not as studied as much. You could use Potassium salt (Potassium Chloride) which has no sodium at all, but there have been some noted risks for some.

 

As for olives, do you preferred those in brine or oil? The ones that are preserved in oil are generally more better for you, but those in brine do have other health benefits.

 

When having fried chips, try thick mint sauce and ground black pepper. Or sprinkle brown vinegar with coarse flaked sea salt, or even sprinkling of some soy sauce (the Japanese made ones are better for chips whereas the other Asian ones are better for cooking).

So much in here I've not thought of or seen  before. I'm in a small town so my choices are limited when I go shopping. I don't think I've seen olives in oil. But maybe online. The vinegar and coarse salt... I'm trying that. Thanks

[ChrisW]

1 hour ago, Ishaya said:

 

Here in Nigeria we make most of our spices ourselves, not sure if its possible in your place.

Typically we mix pepper,salt,seasoning, ginger,garlic in a fine blend that gives good taste to almost any meal.

I envy your access to that. I would love to be able to try some of the goods there. 

[ChrisW]

1 hour ago, Ishaya said:

Just stomach bloating or generalized body swelling?

Mostly in my ankles, knees and hands. 

[Ludwika]

2 minutes ago, jwmom said:

Mostly in my ankles, knees and hands. 

Try parsley and kelp tablets. Both can help with water retention and swelling. 

[ChrisW]

Thanks @LudwikaI will. 🙂

[Exter]

1 hour ago, jwmom said:

I envy your access to that. I would love to be able to try some of the goods there. 

Salt consumption in Germany: results of the DEGS study
Excessive daily salt consumption is a significant risk factor for high blood pressure and thus also for the development of cardiovascular diseases, in particular stroke. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends a daily salt intake of no more than 6 grams.

[Exter]

4 minutes ago, Exter said:

Salt consumption in Germany: results of the DEGS study
Excessive daily salt consumption is a significant risk factor for high blood pressure and thus also for the development of cardiovascular diseases, in particular stroke. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends a daily salt intake of no more than 6 grams.

However, nationally representative data from an evaluation of the German Adult Health Survey (DEGS) commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) show a different picture:
In the study, sodium excretion was measured in almost 7,000 participants and the intake of salt was calculated from this.
According to the study, daily salt intake averages 8.4 grams for women and 10 grams for men. 50 percent of men and 38.5 percent of women even consume more than 10 grams of salt daily.
The salt intake of adults in Germany is thus significantly higher than the DGE recommendations.

Edited May 4, 2023 by Exter

[Exter]

9 hours ago, jwmom said:

I envy your access to that. I would love to be able to try some of the goods there. 

Very good. Try, when is possible, fresh herbs, instead salt.

[dove]

On 5/3/2023 at 5:30 PM, Dove said:

We can’t live without salt. It’s one of the four electrolytes. But there’s no way you can avoid it  anyway because it’s in everything.

..so is sugar in everything, even in salt. Iodized salt, but not sea salt.