Salt 

Do you use salt?  Is salt good for you?  What effects does salt have on your body?  What foods carry salt?  Is it possible to avoid salt? What about salt substitutes?

All good questions.  Salt is on our mind today and while it does not need to be looked at as a villain, it is important to be aware of how salt interacts with our bodies.

The daily recommended amount of salt is 2,300 milligrams or one teaspoon.  That sounds a bit daunting and is as most Americans get 3,400 milligrams a day.

You may use salt in cooking recipes to bind and provide some stability.  Usually, this is in small amounts so not a problem.  

The way salts can sneak into your diet is from processed foods.  A good thing to do is to read the mandated labels on all foods to see how much salt is included.  You can find lower salt versions of many foods.

Salt increases your blood pressure and as you know, high blood pressure can lead to heart issues and stroke. If you are diabetic you need to watch your salt intake too.

You may use a salt substitute.  While this can be an option you need to watch your potassium intake as these usually have potassium chloride, rather than sodium chloride.

The good news is that you don’t need to eliminate salt completely (so long as your doctor hasn’t told you to).  You can also use a smaller amount of salt and add other spices instead.  

The spices you use depend on what you are cooking.  Experiment a bit or check online for substitutes.
Private Home Health Care pays attention to salt in our diet.  We like to use some salt in recipes while also using other spices.  Maintaining a healthy blood pressure is important.