Help - I need to wean myself off salt!

Options
kmkel0
kmkel0 Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I admit I'm a salt addict. I don't have a sweet tooth like many others - I live salt. I add it to meals before I even taste it. Would love to hear of any substitutes or strategies to stop using salt!

Replies

  • benol1
    benol1 Posts: 867 Member
    Options
    I admit I'm a salt addict. I don't have a sweet tooth like many others - I live salt. I add it to meals before I even taste it. Would love to hear of any substitutes or strategies to stop using salt!

    Be strong and do not add it to your meal.
    If need be - throw it out.
    Your kidneys, heart and vascular system will love you for it.
    kind regards,

    Ben
  • bluskies01
    bluskies01 Posts: 72 Member
    Options
    Try using other spices and herbs to flavor your food. Depending on the type of dish even dried herbs (oregano, basil, rosemary) can add a lot to a dish. Although most grocery stores have some fresh seasonally and it's really easy to grow your own herbs too. I've recently been cutting down my sodium intake due to borderline high BP and it's amazing all the things that have a lot of salt and/or sodium, so I read labels a lot. Pretty much anything processed or canned has a ton of sodium. Also, sea salt has slightly less sodium, and I find myself using even less bc I think it tastes stronger (or maybe it's my imagination).
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Options
    Why do you have to stop? Do you have high blood pressure or some other medical indication that it's a problem for you?

    I don't believe in everyone being treated for a disease only some people have. If you have no medical indication that salt is a problem, I don't think you should have to. There are salt substitutes made of potassium salts, like "No Salt" that you can use as a mediocre replacement. I use it to bump up my potassium intake. Balancing sodium and potassium is actually much more important than gross sodium intake- in other words, you can have more sodium salt without bloating by increasing your dietary potassium.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    Options
    I admit I'm a salt addict. I don't have a sweet tooth like many others - I live salt. I add it to meals before I even taste it. Would love to hear of any substitutes or strategies to stop using salt!

    do you have high blood pressure or any other medical issues pertaining to salt? most people really don't.

    ETA: as the bean said, try to worry more about keeping your potassium to sodium at a 1:1 ratio, and you're golden. other things to dump any excess sodium are to drink lots of water -- we flush most excess through urination, so more water = more trips to the loo -- and working out, where you will lose some through sweat.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Options
    Why do you have to stop? Do you have high blood pressure or some other medical indication that it's a problem for you?

    I don't believe in everyone being treated for a disease only some people have. If you have no medical indication that salt is a problem, I don't think you should have to. There are salt substitutes made of potassium salts, like "No Salt" that you can use as a mediocre replacement. I use it to bump up my potassium intake. Balancing sodium and potassium is actually much more important than gross sodium intake- in other words, you can have more sodium salt without bloating by increasing your dietary potassium.
    So thats what it balances with.

    Also, some people have things or do things where they need extra salt.
  • LavaDoll
    LavaDoll Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    try switching to pepper or lemon pepper.
  • Amazon_Who
    Amazon_Who Posts: 1,092 Member
    Options
    I like the Mrs. Dash Table Blend. There are a lot of other varieties.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Options
    I put salt on everything from my oatmeal to my veggies. I haven't had any problems other than needing to drink a ton of water.
  • kmkel0
    kmkel0 Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the advice. I don't have any conditions that require a reduction of salt - just concerned with link to vascular hardening, heart attack and stroke. Thought prevention is better than cure. I've also read that lowering or taking salt from diet can help with cellulite.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Options
    It may help if you just go "cold turkey" and eliminate all the salt from your diet for a short term only (say, a few days) and just force yourself not to have it.............. then when you reintroduce it your taste buds may have changed so that you are more sensitive to the taste of it, that you can't eat the amount you used to eat, and so can eat food without adding so much as before.

    this worked for me re a sweet tooth (it was actually an unexpected side effect of eating zero carb for 3 days a couple of years ago.... zero carb did not suit me at all and I wouldn't recommend it long term, but it did rid me of a sweet tooth). I still like sweet foods, just I've regained the ability to taste sweet things properly so have them in moderation nowadays. I no longer like ultra sweet foods and prefer moderately sweet. I've never liked very salty foods though, so obviously not tried this on salt, but what happens is that you become desensitised to a particular taste if you eat too much of it for long periods. Cutting it out completely for a short time can "reset" your tastebuds. IMO it's worth a try, and it's not like you're giving up salt forever, just for a short time, then reintroducing it in smaller quantities, but (if this works) it'll taste just as good as before.
  • Incentivehorse
    Incentivehorse Posts: 3
    Options
    I use dry chilli flakes instead of salt but it's a bit hot and spicy for everyone's taste ;)
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
    Options
    find a way to sweat more. Maybe running?
  • hoofchick88
    hoofchick88 Posts: 2
    Options
    Try cooking without salt at all then adding just a touch when you sit down to eat. That way the salt is on the top and the first thing your tongue gets, and you won't get all that extra cooking salt.
  • TimeForMe99
    TimeForMe99 Posts: 309
    Options
    Switch to kosher salt and put it in a pepper shaker (fewer holes), or block some of the holes in the salt shaker. It will take time to get over the habit of reaching for the shaker but you will be using less. Most savory recipes that call for salt actually intend kosher salt, which is a larger grain and less compact so there is less sodium per teaspoon. As you adjust to the lower salt flavor the craving should disipate.

Categories