Salt (sodium chloride) is essential in the diet to maintain fluid balance. But having too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, which can contribute to stroke and coronary heart disease in later life.
☛Taste food before you add salt when cooking or at the table. You might not need it!
☛Cut down on the salt you add when cooking potatoes, pasta, and rice. After a while, you’ll find you don’t need to add any at all.
☛Add fresh herbs to pasta dishes, vegetables, and meat.
☛Use garlic, ginger, chili, and lime in stir-fries.
☛Make your own stock and gravy, instead of using cubes or granules. Or use low-salt bouillon.
☛Squeeze lemon or lime juice onto fish and into casseroles and stews.
☛Try using different types of onion – brown, red, white, spring onions, or shallots.
☛Use black pepper instead of salt, to season foods like pasta or scrambled egg.
☛Buy good-quality fresh ingredients as they will have more natural flavor.
☛Add fruit to meat dishes to give a naturally sweet flavor – for example, pork and apricots.
☛When making cheese dishes, use a small amount of strong cheese rather than a larger amount of milder cheese. Add a little mustard powder to bring out the cheese flavor.