Seasoning Without Salt

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Seasoning without salt means cooking and eating food without salt in order to lower the sodium in your diet. Sodium is found in salt and in small amounts in many other foods. Eating too much sodium can make your blood pressure rise and cause other health problems. You should limit the sodium in your food if you have high blood pressure or heart failure. Liver problems and kidney disease are other reasons to limit sodium in the food you eat.

Care: Ask your caregiver for a copy of the Healthy Heart™ diet if you are also on a low fat or low cholesterol diet. This will help you choose the right foods before you plan the seasonings.

• Do not add salt to food during cooking or while eating. Try the salt-free and low-salt seasoning ideas below to lower the amount of sodium in your diet. But, check with your caregiver before using white powdered salt substitutes. They may be too high in potassium for you to use safely.
  
  
• Read labels on all packaged foods to check for sodium. Fast food and processed packaged foods are often high in sodium. Buy low salt or low sodium foods whenever possible. Eat home made or fresh foods and meals when possible, to avoid getting too much sodium.
  
  
  • Avoid regular canned soups or soups made from dry mixes. Buy low sodium soups or make your own at home without salt. Use low sodium broth, bouillon, or consommé instead of the regular high sodium kinds.
    
    
  • Many stores now have low sodium breads, canned vegetables, canned fish, cheeses, crackers, salad dressings, soups, and snacks.
    
    
  • Only buy frozen meals that have less than 400 mg of sodium per serving.
    
    
  • Regular cheese contains a medium to high amount of salt. If you eat cheese, buy low sodium kinds as often as possible. Add only 1/3 to 1/2 the amount listed in the recipe.
    
    
  • Check labels of medicines for sodium content. Ask your doctor or caregiver if you are not sure about taking a medicine.
    
    
  • Buy fresh or frozen vegetables to use in cooking instead of canned vegetables. Buy only low sodium canned tomato products.
    
    
  • Avoid or use only small amounts of cooking wines or sherries made with salt.

Herbs, Spices, and Other Low-Salt or Salt-Free Seasonings: Try the following herbs, spices, and other seasonings with the foods listed for each one. You may be surprised at how much you like food that is flavored without salt.

• Herbs:
  
  
  • Bay Leaf with beef, chicken soup, meat marinades, salmon, tomato dishes, or white fish
    
    
  • Basil with chowders, eggplant, Italian soups and dishes, pasta, shrimp, lamb, or venison
    
    
  • Cilantro with Asian food, Mexican food, or tossed salads
    
    
  • Chili Powder with chili con carne, corn, egg dishes, kidney or lima beans, meat marinades, or refried beans
    
    
  • Cumin with fish, green chile sauce, Mexican dishes, pork, or salsa
    
    
  • Dill Weed with breads, chicken, cooked fresh vegetables, cucumbers, fish, potato salad, or salmon
    
    
  • Fennel with fish, Italian sauces, or pizza
    
    
  • Marjoram with beef, cottage cheese, eggs, potatoes, soups, spinach, or tomatoes
    
    
  • Mustard with broccoli, chicken, fish, potato salad, salad dressings, or white sauces
    
    
  • Parsley with beef, cooked dried beans, eggs, lamb, potatoes, salads, soups, or tomato sauces
    
    
  • Rosemary with beef, breads, lamb, pork, potatoes, salad dressings, soups, or winter squash
    
    
  • Sage with chicken, chowders, halibut, onions, salmon, stuffing, tomatoes, or turkey
    
    
  • Savory with fish, green beans, poultry, red meats, or potatoes
    
    
  • Tarragon with sauces, salad dressings, poultry, or vinegar
    
    
  • Thyme with beets, fish, lima beans, stews, stuffing, or wild game
  
  
• Spices:
  
  
  • Cinnamon in custard and pudding, fruit desserts, pork and lamb, stuffing, pumpkin, or yams
    
    
  • Cloves in baked fruit dishes, beets, mulled cider or wine, red meats, spaghetti sauce, or sweet potatoes
    
    
  • Curry Powder with baked fish, chicken, dips, fruit marinades for meats, vegetable and rice dishes
    
    
  • Ginger with baked fish, carrots, pot roast, poultry stuffing, sauce for fish, or stir-fry dishes
    
    
  • Mace in baked fruit desserts, carrots, cauliflower, custard, fruit jams, lamb, potatoes, or pumpkin
    
    
  • Nutmeg in custard, hot cocoa, meat loaf, Swedish meat balls, or white fish
  
  
• Other Low-Salt or Salt-Free Seasonings:
  
  
  • Chives with cucumbers, lima beans, potatoes, salad dressing, or salmon
    
    
  • Garlic (minced or powdered, not with salt) in dips and sauces, fish, Italian dishes, meats, poultry, salad dressing, or tomatoes
    
    
  • Green pepper with beef, corn, peas, rice, stir-fry dishes, or tomatoes
    
    
  • Lemon with chicken, fruit salads, grilled or baked fish, shellfish, spinach, or tossed salads
    
    
  • Low sodium vegetable or tomato juices in salsas, seafood cocktails, or soups
    
    
  • Low sodium tomato paste, sauce, or puree with eggplant, casseroles, chili, Italian food, summer squash, or zucchini squash
    
    
  • Onion (dried, powdered, or chopped, not mixed with salt) with beef, casseroles, chili con carne, pasta dishes, roasts, salads, soups, or stews
    
    
  • Vinegar (such as balsamic, cider, flavored, red wine, or white) with cucumbers, cooked greens, potatoes, salad dressings, spinach, or seafood
  
  
• Herb Blends to Try:
  
  
  • Chili Blend: Black pepper, chili powder, cilantro, cumin, dry mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and paprika
    
    
  • Cole Slaw Blend: Celery seed, dill weed, dried onion, sugar, and tarragon
    
    
  • Italian Food Blend: Basil, black pepper, garlic powder, ground red pepper, marjoram, oregano, savory, and thyme
    
    
  • Onion Herb Blend: Basil, black pepper, cumin, dill weed, dried onion flakes, and garlic powder

Do not use the following high salt seasonings unless you can find a low sodium form:

• Barbecue sauce
  
  
• Dill pickles
  
  
• Garlic or onion salt
  
  
• Gravies and sauces from mixes
  
  
• Imitation bacon bits
  
  
• Meat tenderizers & sauces
  
  
• Monosodium glutamate
  
  
• Olives
  
  
• Pickled relishes
  
  
• Prepared horseradish
  
  
• Regular tomato or vegetable juices
  
  
• Salsa or hot sauce with salt
  
  
• Salted nuts or seeds
  
  
• Sauerkraut
  
  
• Seasoning salt
  
  
• Soup mixes
  
  
• Soy and teriyaki sauces
  
  
• Steak and chili sauces
  
  
• Tartar sauce

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn your health problems and how to season without salt. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care will be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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