Edith Stovel - Salt-Free Herb Cookery

by Edith Stovel

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Printed in the United States

Stovel, Edith

Salt-free herb cookery / by Edith Stovel

A Storey Publishing Bulletin, A-97

ISBN 0-88266-342-9

In chemistry class we learned that common table salt is a chemical compound called sodium chloride. A certain quantity of the sodium portion of that compound is essential to life; however, greater quantities present a risk to health. The mineral sodium is needed by the human body for several important tasks, including maintenance of the proper amount of water in its many trillions of cells. The saltiness of tears and perspiration is proof of the presence of sodium in the bodys fluids. Thirst is the bodys way of signaling that the concentration of salt is too high, due to the ingestion of salty foods or the loss of water through perspiration.

The use of salt has a well-established place in history. In days of old salt was necessary to preserve food that would have spoiled otherwise. The significant role it played is shown by the medieval custom of seating guests of consequence between the host and the salt and placing less important guests below the salt at the long banquet table. Salt was precious enough even to be used as wages. The phrase not worth his salt describe the inefficient worker who didnt deserve his pay.

Biologically and historically, salt is important to human beings. What is its significance today? No longer necessary for preserving foods, sodium is nonetheless essential for preserving life. The human body requires 220 milligrams, or teaspoon, of sodium daily, easily supplied by the sodium that occurs naturally in food. To provide a substantial margin of error, the food and Nutrition Board has set the Recommended Dietary Allowance at 1,1003,300 milligrams of sodium daily, about 1 teaspoon. However, the average American adult consumes almost 4 teaspoons of salt daily, and young children consume even more. This translates into the staggering figure of 15 pounds of salt consumed per year by the average American. Despite the presence of sodium in almost all foods and in many water supplies, the high sodium consumption by Americans is due primarily to the addition of salt to processed foods.

What is the problem with excessive salt consumption? If salt is good for us and, in fact, necessary for our metabolism, why not consume it in large quantities?

The evidence is piling up that even though we require some sodium, more is not better. The body tries valiantly to handle the excess, but in large quantities sodium causes health problems. The link between high salt consumption and hypertension is well established. In fact, the scientific evidence is so strong that the Surgeon General of the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Heart Association, and the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences all recommend that we eat less salt.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, afflicts 35 million Americans, while 25 million more Americans are considered borderline. This condition significantly increases the chance of death from stroke or heart attack. High blood pressure does not go away. It can be controlled by diet or medication, but it cannot be cured. While there are several possible causes of hypertension, studies show that lowering salt intake lowers blood pressure in many people. In cross-cultural studies, researchers have found that populations with high salt consumption (35 teaspoons a day per person) have hypertension in epidemic proportions. In cultures with low salt intake (less than 1 teaspoon daily per person), hypertension hardly exists.

Because of the health problems associated with excessive salt consumption, we would all do well to use less salt. One choice is to cut down on salt, aiming to consume no more than 1 teaspoon a day. For those predisposed to high blood pressure due to family history, obesity, or high stress, this is a particularly wise decision, which could prevent development of the disease.

The other choice is not in fact a choice for the 60 million Americans with diagnosed high blood pressure whose doctors order them to reduce salt. In many cases, this means a low-sodium diet of 500 milligrams or about teaspoon of salt a day.

This bulletin is for those who wish to tip the health odds in their favor by cutting down on salt, yet dont want to sacrifice the pleasures of eating. Cutting down on salt by eliminating the salt shaker will reduce the flavor of certain foods, especially for those accustomed to eating salty foods. What needs to be done then is to wean the palate from the flavor of salt by providing alternative ways to flavor food.

To cut down on salt consumption, there are some specific steps you can take.

. Eliminate or cut down on salt in cooking. For example, dont add salt to the water when cooking foods such as pasta or vegetables. Use half the salt called for in recipes most likely the taste will remain the same.

. Cut down on processed foods. Luncheon meats, canned soups, and canned vegetables, not to mentioned salted snack foods, contain moderate or high amounts of salt. Many items from fast food restaurants are also high in salt. Almost two-thirds of the salt the average person consumes in one day comes from processed foods. Next to sugar, salt is the most common food additive. Read the labels of processed foods before you buy and avoid those listing salt or sodium. Until the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires manufacturers to list the amounts of ingredients, you wont be able to tell the exact amount of salt in a product. However, manufacturers will usually indicate if a product is salt-free.

. Become aware of foods with a naturally high sodium content. Beets, carrots, shellfish, cheese, and celery are foods that are moderately high in sodium.

. Follow the suggestions in this bulletin for re-educating your tastebuds to enjoy flavors other than salt. Rather than seek the perfect non-salt taste-alike, find other ways to flavor food. Food is not flavored by salt alone. Herbs, spices, lemon, vinegars, wine, garlic, and onions offer a rich array of flavorings to please the palate. As you gradually use less salt and cut down on processed foods containing salt, you will find yourself discovering favorite combinations of flavors and making more dishes from scratch. Cooking from scratch need not be arduous or time consuming. When you cook from scratch, you are totally in charge of the ingredients; you can create recipes of great versatility using different herb and spices instead of only salt.