Spice Up Your Life - Without Salt

Salt and Seasoning

If you are working to lower your blood pressure, your doctor has probably told you to cut back on the salt.

With new approaches to seasoning - and some cupboard cleaning -- you can reduce salt consumption and still have flavorful foods.

Start by tossing out the table salt and any salt seasonings such as garlic, onion and celery salts. Don't forget to check the lemon pepper, which often has added salt. It's a good time to pass on "light salt" products, too, such as bouillon cubes, meat tenderizers, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, teriyaki sauce, oyster sauces, fish sauce and miso. Packaged taco, gravy, salad dressing, soup and chili mixes also can be high in sodium.

Stock your cupboard with garlic and onion powders, dry mustard and plain black pepper. Keep fresh garlic, onion and herbs on hand as well as lemon juice or fresh lemon, vinegar and salt-free seasoning blends. Replace condiments -- ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce - with salt-free varieties. Use regular table wine instead of cooking wine, which has added salt.

Then, get creative. Flavor meats and vegetables with combinations of herbs with oil, vinegar, lemon juice or table wine. Let the mixture sit for an hour before brushing it on food as it cooks. Or, brush meat with oil, sprinkle on fresh herbs and refrigerate an hour before cooking.

The October issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter suggests spices and herbs to season and enhance the foods without salt. Here's a sampling:

Meats

Poultry - paprika, fresh mushrooms, thyme, sage, parsley, dill, cilantro, lemon, rosemary.

Fish - dry mustard, paprika, curry, bay leaf, lemon juice, fresh mushrooms, cilantro, dill, tarragon, marjoram.

Beef - dry mustard, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, garlic, sage, thyme, pepper, bay leaf, fresh mushrooms, rosemary, balsamic vinegar, fresh ground horseradish.

Vegetables

Asparagus - lemon juice, toasted sesame seeds

Carrots - parsley, mint, nutmeg, dill

Green beans - lemon juice, marjoram, nutmeg, garlic, onion

Squash - ginger, honey

Tomatoes - basil, sage, garlic, green pepper, onion, oregano, chives.