Going without salt can sometimes be a challenge. Here is some of the advice I share with my clients.
It seems people miss things like cheese, chocolate, crunchy things, salty things, flour things, ice cream, coffee, sugar, creamer, milk etc. Just the mention of the food item, a thought or a picture of it, can set off consuming thoughts and longing.
This is for those who are not lucky enough to be able to make up their minds and swear these foods off forever. Although it is best to taper off these foods as they are calorie dense, harmful to your health, make one eat more calories and do not help heal the addicted brain, here is some help for those in transition.
My next few blogs will attack these Beasts. Today I will help you deal with Salty Things.
Salt can really make you retain water and make you weigh more. It makes food hyper palatable and therefore makes you eat larger quantities. It is also deleterious to your health; it can cause blood pressure to rise and it is specifically harmful to the Endothelial cells which are the life jacket of your arteries.
If those are not enough reasons, did you know that microplastics have been found in salt?
What to do?
There are a few things you can add to your food to help deal with the Salt Cravings:
Benson’s Table Tasty 2 oz (I use lots and buy the 1 pound bag)
Benson’s Table Tasty 1 pound bag is great for adding to air popped popcorn, stir fry’s, hummus and most anything to which you would like to add salt.
Other options are lemon zest and lime zest (preferably organic).
You can buy organic lemon peel powder or lime peel powder.
Another great idea is to use the spice Sumac. The flavor profile is citrus and similar to citric acid, but sumac is a natural ingredient. It is a beautiful red color, similar to paprika!
Also, kelp granules might be helpful. They may add a “fish flavor”, so it may not be desirable in all dishes. Also, try not to overindulge, as too much kelp can add unneeded iodine to your system.
You can also trick the tongue by adding things to your recipes like sun dried tomatoes (oil, salt and sulfur free) These have limited availability. I will update this blog when I find other sources.
Your tastebuds can neuro adapt over time. By using less and less added salt in your foods, you will eventually grow new tastebuds and be able to detect even the natural salt found in leafy greens and celery.
It is not your fault that you are craving things like salt. Your taste buds have been hijacked by the food industry. Nutritionists hate high-sodium foods. Even the former mayor of New York City wanted you to eat less salt. But how come the industry hasn’t been able to significantly reduce the salt-content of their foods?
Salt is as essential to the food industry as water. First, it fixes a lot of the problems that occur because foods are processed. Cornflakes lose their metallic taste with salt. Crackers without salt are bitter, soggy, and stick to the roof of the mouth. In bread making, salt keeps the machinery from gumming up. Salt makes food last longer on the shelves.
Salt covers up nasty tastes, especially of meat, that would otherwise remind you of damp dog hair.
Salt is the great antidote to all of these problems, and more. And salt is as cheap as water.
The industry could use less salt if they started using fresh spices, like rosemary, which have antioxidants abilities. But consumers want CHEAP food, and fresh spices are costly. So salt comes to the rescue.
And let’s face it: people love salt. Without salt, manufactured bread tastes like tin, and doesn’t even look puffy. It’s riddled with big air pockets and has a rough texture. If food manufacturers put out salt-free versions of their foods, nobody would buy them; and maybe that would be a good thing, but we all know that it’s not going to happen. This is just some of the information that you will find in the book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us.
Here is a great tasting, salt free mustard Salt Free Mustard
What are some strategies you use to combat salt cravings?
Read more about this in my blog Making Deals With Cheat Meals.
Want private Zoom cooking lessons? I can help you make delicious food without added salt. If you would like help to prevent yourself from going off the wagon and learn other ways to navigate this lifestyle, please contact me for a coaching session. I have learned many strategies, tips and hacks while coaching people since 2012. I would love to help you be successful as well.
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Check out my blogs below on beating Cravings.
It is not your fault that you are craving highly palatable foods. If you struggle with this, here are some of the tips which I share with my clients: Fell Off The Wagon? Ouch….
What strategies do / did you use to resist temptation?
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Hi I’m Amy. My husband Rick & I adopted a Whole Plant lifestyle in 2012. We have had fantastic health results. Together, we’ve lost over 130 pounds! We offer private, lifestyle coaching and Zoom cooking lessons. We love to share our knowledge of this lifestyle and hope to spread the word and help others to Be Strong, Be Well and Be Green!🌱
Eating less salt is really important. The Blood Pressure chapter in Greger’s How Not to Die is a great summary of the dangers of salt. I agree that the best way to reduce (or eliminate) salt is a good spice mix. I’ll have to try yours. My favorite is Mrs. Dash Onion & Herb seasoning.
I agree with you Jody, it is important to avoid added salt. I really enjoyed Dr. Greger’s book, How Not to Die. Let me know how my suggestions work for you.