Low Salt Vs. No Salt
The chemical name for salt is sodium chloride. It's used as a seasoning or food preservative that is added to countless commercial products. Check the label for sodium to find out how much salt a food contains.
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Health
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Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. It also has been linked to osteoporosis and stomach cancer. Talk to your doctor to find out how much sodium you should consume daily.
No-Salt Diet
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Food for a no-salt diet needs to be specially prepared and cooked largely from scratch since sodium is added to most processed foods. A diet with no salt at all would be almost impossible, since sodium is found naturally in most foods.
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Low-Salt Diet
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A low-salt diet, also known as a low-sodium diet, requires you to keep an eye on the amount of sodium that you consume. This includes not only adding no salt to foods, but also reading labels. A low-salt diet is what doctors usually recommend for patients needing to watch their sodium intake.
Hidden Sodium
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Many processed foods have high amounts of sodium. Condensed soup is especially high. Check the labels if you're following a low- or no-salt diet.
Alternatives
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There are many alternatives to table salt that will add extra flavor to food. Pepper, lemon juice, spices, and herbs are good choices.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Kevin Dooley
