August 29th is More Herbs, Less Salt Day #MoreHerbsLessSaltDay a new #Holiday Charlie could have studied in his Cooking Class in Homeschool. I don’t know about in our home but we use a lot of Herbs but no, Salt.
Growing up my mom couldn’t get enough Salt and my dad never used Salt and he did most of the cooking. Then David and I got married and he couldn’t use Salt because it makes his knees swell. Isn’t that crazy? Before you ask what about Charlie he doesn’t use Salt or Pepper and before you ask David and I also hardly ever use Pepper. What about you? Although all three of us use Seasoning Salt when cooking. How about you?
Take the opportunity to enjoy More Herbs, Less Salt Day on August 20 by reassessing your sodium intake. I understand that maintaining a balanced, healthy diet is easier said than done. Especially since the flavor suffers the most, but healthy eating is no longer bland and boring! Spices and aromatic Herbs are a great way to reduce Salt in meals and amp up the taste. Your taste buds won’t know what they are missing, and your body will be grateful.
The origins of More Herbs, Less Salt Day are unknown, but More Herbs, Less Salt Day was created in an effort to make people analyze their diets and reduce the amount of sodium in it. As one of the key ingredients in most meals, and shaken on top of food, the recommended daily amount of Salt is exceeded without most people realizing it.
Salt isn’t exactly bad for us, but as with everything else, too much of a good thing can do more harm than good. Sodium is an important electrolyte needed by our bodies for nerve and muscle function. However, excessive intake of Salt can have negative results like hypertension, heart disease, and bloating.
Cardiovascular disease can lead to a stroke, heart attack, and even death. The renal function of kidneys can also be severely damaged, as blood flow to the kidney tissue is disrupted. Tests done on Mice also show a linkage with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease due to high sodium intake,
The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) recommended daily consumption of salt is less than 1500 milligrams. As most of us know fast food utilizes a lot of Salt and is a large contributor to increasing the intake of Salt in our bodies. Just think of McDonalds and there Fries.
Did you know many one-time fast food meals contain 2000 milligrams or more of Salt! Which is why it is important to prepare meals at home and control the amount of Salt going into our meals. More Herbs, Less Salt Day aims to encourage people to enhance the flavor of their food using Herbs or Spices instead of large amounts of Salt. This way the taste won’t be compromised, and may even turn out better. This is why it is important to prepare meals at home which gives us control over how much sodium goes into our meals.
Eating less Salt is an excellent idea for everyone regardless of age or overall health. Most Americans eat more processed foods than they should, which is the #1 culprit of adding additional Salt to our diet but reducing Salt is obvious when you add more flavor with fresh Herbs.
If you don’t have a Herb garden, there is no, need to worry because the good news is most grocery stores stock fresh Herbs in the produce section. This time of year is perfect for fresh Basil, Cilantro, and Parsley, but you can also find fresh Rosemary, Dill, Sage, and other Herbs. On the other hand, a diet low in sodium is linked to increased cognitive function and overall health.
How To Celebrate More Herbs, Less Salt Day
- When going Grocery shopping find out how much sodium is in your grocery food, and adjust accordingly, or cut back completely. Some brands have more sodium in their products than others, so be a wise shopper!
- Get experimental and use different Herbs and Spices to create the perfect Seasoning that you can use instead of Salt. Which will take time to get right and get used to the taste of no Salt, but with the variety of ingredients easily available, you’ll have a winning recipe!
- Growing Herbs in our garden is quite simple and less expensive than purchasing Organic Herbs from stores. Rosemary, Thyme, and other herbs require little effort for planting, and can really elevate the taste of a dish as compared to Salt.
Facts About Salt
- Did you know consuming just one teaspoon of Salt exceeds the daily recommended amount of Sodium.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the average American consumes 3400 milligrams of Salt daily. Which is nearly 35% more than the recommended daily intake.
- The more Salt we eat, the more calcium we lose from our body through urination. This also makes us vulnerable to diseases like Osteoporosis.
- According to a study published in the 2014 journal of Cancer Treatment and Research, a high-Salt diet is linked to Stomach Cancer.
- Some studies found that Salt affects our brain the same way some drugs and cigarettes do.
Why People Love More Herbs, Less Salt Day
- The amount of preservatives, additives, Sodium, and more that go into prepackaged food is insane! Holidays like More Herbs, Less Salt Day encourage people to be mindful about their grocery shopping, and be smart about what they are purchasing, and eating.
- The only way to minimize our Sodium intake and control how much of Sodium we are consuming is to switch to cooking meals at home.
- The taste, aroma, and lightness of Herbs and some Spices are phenomenal! Meals become more appetizing, like simmering Pasta Sauce, when we can smell Garlic.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
