low sodium diet: what to use to replace salt?

My doctor put me on a low sodium diet. Now salt gives a lot of taste to things: so what do you use to replace it with (in soups etc) to make the food still "tasty"?

Also, does anybody have an idea how much salt is absorbed by the food if I cook it in salted water? Like spaghetti, potatoes, vegetables?

Umami rich ingredients or msg

Hello, msg is sodium. Great advice.

My doctor put me on a low sodium diet. Now salt gives a lot of taste to things: so what do you use to replace it with (in soups etc) to make the food still "tasty"?

Also, does anybody have an idea how much salt is absorbed by the food if I cook it in salted water? Like spaghetti, potatoes, vegetables?

There are many, many other seasonings to try that will add flavor to your food without salt. If you like it, garlic powder is a good one. Pepper (black, white or cayenne) is another. There are some good herb mixes you can buy that are good as well.
Don't salt the water for your boiling if you are supposed to avoid sodium, some of it is absorbed by the food. The only reasons to put salt in the water is to flavor the food and to make the water boil more fiercely. It actually makes it take longer for the water to boil.

There are so many other spices that you can use besides salt. Garlic, basil, chili powder. I never add salt to anything and always find my food quite flavourful. You just have to adjust your taste buds a bit at first.

A lot of herbs and spices. You're just going to have to get used to the taste of foods without additional salt. It takes a while to there, but it's very possible.

I never cook pasta in salted water, I find no difference in the taste. I also don't salt meat before cooking it, or add salt to my foods after cooking. Potatoes are about the only thing I've found that NEED a teeny bit of salt to taste good, to me.

Making sauces from scratch, not using a lot of packaged products, or comparing the same products side by side will help reduce the amount of sodium you're consuming. Keep an eye out for foods that contain higher amounts of sodium naturally, such as celery, carrots, eggs, some seafood, chicken, some melons, beets, spinach...the list goes on.

I've been low-sodium for 5.5 years.

My doctor put me on a low sodium diet. Now salt gives a lot of taste to things: so what do you use to replace it with (in soups etc) to make the food still "tasty"?

Also, does anybody have an idea how much salt is absorbed by the food if I cook it in salted water? Like spaghetti, potatoes, vegetables?

Umami rich ingredients or msg

Hello, msg is sodium. Great advice.

Actually... my mother-in-law is on a low-salt diet and her doctor recommended MSG.

A few quick facts from Wikipedia:

MSG can be used to reduce salt intake (sodium), which predisposes to hypertension, heart diseases and stroke. The taste of low-salt foods improves with MSG even with a 30% salt reduction. The sodium content (in mass percent) of MSG is roughly a third of the amount (12%) than in sodium chloride (39%).

yeah, u all know if it says lower sodium, the price is higher? Seriously, if it says low sodium or something the price is always higher. Our corrupt America-:huh:

My doctor put me on a low sodium diet. Now salt gives a lot of taste to things: so what do you use to replace it with (in soups etc) to make the food still "tasty"?

Also, does anybody have an idea how much salt is absorbed by the food if I cook it in salted water? Like spaghetti, potatoes, vegetables?

Umami rich ingredients or msg

Hello, msg is sodium. Great advice.

Actually... my mother-in-law is on a low-salt diet and her doctor recommended MSG.

A few quick facts from Wikipedia:

MSG can be used to reduce salt intake (sodium), which predisposes to hypertension, heart diseases and stroke. The taste of low-salt foods improves with MSG even with a 30% salt reduction. The sodium content (in mass percent) of MSG is roughly a third of the amount (12%) than in sodium chloride (39%).

Even with 30% of the sodium in it of salt, it still has sodium in it. It would be more beneficial to find other seasonings which provide flavor without any added sodium.

I cared for a very low salt "cardiac diet" family member for a few years. I also discovered I'm rather salt-sensitive (yea, genetics!) Salt as a seasoning was cut out completely. I also had to read labels closely on breads, cheese/dairy & all boxed/canned or convenience foods. I would seek out low-salt alternatives - Whole Foods (in US) has a good selection of very low sodium items .

If you salt water, you're consuming the sodium, so try it without to see if you even need it. I like adding a little olive oil to the water.

Something I discovered the hard way - if you have a water softener, your tap water has added salt, too. (And it can add up quickly!)

I'm not a big fan of salt substitutes (yick.) I buy up all kinds of low or no-salt seasoning blends whenever I find them (The entire Ms. Dash collection is great.) I also use a ton of Italian blends or Herbs Des Provence. Powdered garlic, chili powders, pepper flakes & fresh cracked pepper are good flavor boosters. Citrus juice is also a good booster for light foods. I also grow massive pots of herbs in the summer - can't beat fresh herbs for flavor!

If you bake, salt is harder to swap or eliminate. This is when "low salt" cookbooks come in handy. I have the "No-Salt, Lowest Sodium" Cookbook (great for extremely low salt diets, but the recipes are almost too healthy!) The author Gazzaniga also published a low-salt baking book. Also look up the American Heart Association's Low Salt Cookbook. And check out sodiumgirl.com.

If it's any consolation, once you go "low salt", your tastebuds will adapt and you'll grow accustomed to it. Later, when you eat something salty, it will seem outrageously so. I think salt is just a crutch for a lot of foods. Just think, your palate will become very refined as you find more flavorable foods that don't rely on salt to "carry" them!

BTW: Umami is another word for savory, much like sweet, salty, sour, etc. The concept originated in Japan and I associate it with salty (think a rich beef au jus - that's an umami taste). And MSG - just avoid that like the plague. It's a superfine sodium source - so a little seriously ups the sodium content of a food.

Good luck.

use Mrs *kitten* .....that is what they taste like...but you might find some you like

There is a salt replacement made of silica that my boyfriend likes. Personally, I think it tastes like a**.

My husband and I spent the weekend at a B&B this fall and the owner (who had a bunch of dietary restrictions) introduced us to nutritional yeast. It is great in soups and adds a tremendous amount of flavor (almost salt-like) and does not contain sodium. I would recommend checking it out.

If your doctor put you on no salt diet then you should not be putting it in water when boiling your pasta, potatoes or veggies.


To add flavor try all herbs - basil,parsley, cilantro,garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, or any other spice

"No Salt" is potassium.

Often people on low salt need extra potassium anyway.

I have some of that...I think it has a strange taste...I'd rather learn to eat my food without it.

Just my opinion.