Since 6000BC salt has been a basic commodity and a valuable resource. Used as currency in ancient times, salt routes crossed the globe, and it had crucial economic importance to many nations. Salt has long had political and military significance and wars have been won or lost by the lack of it (hundreds of thousands of Napoleon's troops died during the winter retreat from Moscow in 1812 , in part, for the lack of salt, needed for it's antiseptic properties.Typhus and the Russian Winter did the rest). Cities such as Venice famously rose to greatness on it’s salt trade and religions have embraced it’s use in their ceremonies. Revolutions have even been staged as a result of high salt taxes (Louis XV1 and the French Revolution).
And of course it has a rich culinary history in curing, preserving and enhancing the flavour of our food.
Known as sodium chloride by the chemists, it's involved in the electrolyte and fluid balance in the body, affecting pH levels and blood pressure as well as muscle and nerve function. Both too little and too much comes with serious risk.
The UK government guidelines recommend 6g a day - that's just over a teaspoon. That is only for adults and children of 11 years and over - as babies and young children should have very low amounts until their kidneys are sufficiently developed to process it). Recommendations for healthy kidneys are between 2-3g per day which is approximately half a teaspoon. The American Heart Association says you should have even less.
Then you may or may not be surprised to know that the average salt intake in western societies is estimated around 8-10g a day! At this level, this once nutrient starts to contribute to the risk of hypertension, heart attack or stroke.
Apparently 75% of our dietary salt comes from packaged foods and restaurant meals and white bread is one of the biggest culprits. So, how to help your intake? Be mindful of your consumption of processed and convenience foods such as pickles, stock cubes, gravy, sauces, nuts, as well as cheese, smoked meats and fish. And be sure to balance out those foods by eating lots of high potassium rich fruit, vegetables and pulses.
By cooking from scratch with fresh real food you can control the amount of salt that goes into your meals. But what if you are managing your blood pressure and have been advised to reduce your salt intake, what can you do to cut down without compromising on flavour? There are many things you can do, such as using herbs and spices or certain vegetable combinations to provide a strong flavour base for your cooking.
And if you are someone who loves to be liberal at the table, then start using celery salt instead. If that's too extreme then wean yourself off gently with this celery salt mix.
Recipe
1/4 cup celery seeds
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
The best way to grind the seeds and salt together is using a pestle and mortar. Grind the celery seeds and salt to a fine powder. Or you can mix them well and then fill a refillable pepper grinder and grind it as you go.
If you would like more help in addressing high blood pressure or making dietary change, book a free call. It will be worth it’s salt.
