Low Salt Cooking Recipes
Low Salt Cooking Recipes
The mineral
sodium chloride, or salt, has been used over the centuries for its
medicinal properties as well as its flavoring and preserving
qualities. Why then should we want a low salt diet? To answer this
we must look more closely at the need for and the use of salt by our
bodies.
Salt is
essential to the balance of acids in the blood and the maintenance
of the fluid content of our cells. Without a certain amount of salt
we would suffer from severe muscular cramps and bodily degeneration.
The quantity that our bodies require, however, is actually very
small and is easily obtainable from the whole, fresh foods we eat
daily without the need to add more.
The correct
balance of salt in the body is maintained by the kidneys, which
remove excess salt. Too great a salt intake can lead to fluid
retention, places a strain on the kidneys and can even lead to
problems such as depression.
More
commonly, though, high sodium levels in the body can be directly
linked to abnormally high blood pressure, or hypertension. All
Western countries with a high salt consumption have a problem with
high blood pressure. This, along with obesity and smoking, has been
found to be one of the major causes of fatal heart disease.
Unfortunately, the taste for salt is addictive and people tend to
feel that their bodies require large amounts. Whilst this may be
true in a few instances, under normal conditions this is simply not
the case. People simply become accustomed to the excessive use of
salt and feel that without it their food lacks taste. Gradually
their bodies remove less of the excess sodium and problems again.
The recipes
are simple to prepare and show just how easily you can adapt to a
pattern of eating that will, with time, reduce your need for the
flavor of salt.
Low Salt Cooking Recipes
|
