The Salty Flavor You Crave Can Be a Killer

There’s one in every family. At every meal at home or restaurant outing, that person who will reach for the salt-shaker and start sprinkling before tasting their food.

Hiring sites warn you employers look down on it. The cook is definitely offended. But who are you really hurting if you like your food salty?

You. In particular, your heart and cardiovascular system.

We need the mineral, it helps control your body’s fluid balance and it affects nerve impulses and muscle function.

But too much sodium in your bloodstream pulls water into your blood vessels, increasing the amount of blood inside them and increasing your blood pressure.  Increased blood flow makes the heart work harder to pump more blood through the body. High blood pressure can injure or overstretch blood vessels, speeding up the buildup of plaque that can block blood flow.

Known as the “silent killer” because its symptoms aren’t always obvious, today more than half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure.

What is too much? The American Heart Association tells us to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily – less if you have high blood pressure or other medical conditions. Sadly most of us consume about 50% more, or 3,400 mg each day.

Salt is comfort food. Just as you may require chocolate to feel better, many of us would rather reach for a bag of chips. And when do we want comfort food?  When we are stressed and stress can increase your salt cravings.  A body under stress produces hormones and cortisol which studies have linked to salt cravings. 

Salt cravings could be an indicator of an underlying medical condition. Dehydration from exercise or diuretics can cause cravings, as can Addison’s Disease, migraines or a reaction to prescription medicines. If you’re cravings feel over the top, tell your doctor. 

Maybe you never add salt to your meal. You still could be absorbing a dangerous amount of salt.  More than 75% of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed and restaurant foods - not the salt shaker.

All cooks know that the right amount of salt can reduce bitterness and enhance sweetness, it helps release aroma molecules and breaks down starches that trap moisture allowing crisp crusts and browning. Unfortunately, when do not prepare the food, we have no control of the sodium content.

Processed foods are packed with added salt. An 8oz serving of canned tomato soup can deliver 700-1,260 mg, a tablespoon of soy sauce a whopping 1,000! Having frozen cheese pizza? You’re enjoying 450 to 1,200 mg of sodium with that slice.

To help consumers make healthier choices US retail food products must include a Nutrition Facts label with information on calories, nutrients, and ingredients. Based on serving size you can quickly determine how much of the daily recommended allowance of sodium it contains. Many state and local government require restaurants to do the same for their menu offerings.

Check the ingredients list to see where that sodium is coming from.

Sodium nitrate and sodium citrate are easy to spot, but trisodium phosphate, disodium inosinate, Fleur de sel and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are all salt packers!

Want to cut back on salt without cutting back on eating? Try using a squirt of lemon, a bit of garlic or black pepper to flavor your food.  Herbs such as rosemary or dill; vinegars or powdered onion are options, as is a sprinkle of nutritional yeast. Oils and spices, there are lots of substitutions for the shaker! The American Heart Association has a long list of flavor options to try plus tips to help you make less salty decisions when shopping or eating out.