Too much salt is bad for our health. So resort to healthy and tasty seasoning alternatives that will help reduce your salt intake.
We Germans love salt – but unfortunately far too much. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should not consume more than 5 grams of salt per day. But often much more salt is consumed. On average, German men eat around 10 grams and women around 8.4 grams of salt daily. Although salt isTolfioow for our body, too much salt is harmful to our health and causes high blood pressure, for example, according to nutritionist Dr. Matthew Riedl. The intestine and its bacteria also suffer from too much salt and are damaged as a result.
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Season without salt? That’s how it’s done!
Above all, many processed foods such as sausages, cheese or ready meals cause a high salt consumption . It is better to cook freshly yourself, use salt more sparingly and use healthy, tasty alternatives for seasoning.
Use natural salt
Do not eliminate the salt in your dishes overnight. Give your taste buds enough time to get used to the reduced amount of salt. Instead of table salt, use natural salts such as sea salt or rock salt, which are milder and have a significantly higher proportion of minerals such as calcium or magnesium.
Season with fresh herbs
Instead of salt, use fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, dill or basil , which give your food a delicate flavor and an intense aroma. Fresh herbs not only score points in terms of taste. The high mineral and vitamin content is also impressive – so that the valuable ingredients are not lost during cooking, the herbs should be as fresh as possible and not heated.
If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, use dried herbsback. For a more intense aroma, rub the herbs between your fingers before adding them. So that the herbs can develop their full flavor, give them enough time and let them steep for at least five minutes.
Spices refine the taste
Instead of using a salt shaker, use spices such as chilli powder, curry or nutmeg , which give your dishes an even more intense taste. Start with a small amount and gradually increase it – many spices need a little to develop their full aroma. You can always spice it up!
Garlic provides intense flavor
Fresh garlic goes well with many dishes such as sauces, vegetables or fish and spices up many dishes with its unique aroma. The spicy clove of garlic contains many healthy nutrients such as vitamins, iron or zinc, which protect our immune system and heart. Garlic is also known for its antibacterial properties.
Ginger conjures up spiciness in your dishes
Ginger is also a great substitute for salt and goes well with many dishes. The aromatic tuber provides a pleasant and fresh spiciness and is also very health-promoting: ginger has an anti-inflammatory effect, boosts the metabolism and stimulates blood circulation.
Lemons provide fresh acidity
Almost every dish can be refined with fresh lemon juice . It is best to add the sour juice at the end of the cooking process so that the fruit’s vitamins are retained.
Oils give a fine aroma
Instead of salt, you should also use oils such as olive oil or linseed oil, which give every dish a special aromatic note and are extremely healthy with their unsaturated fatty acids and vitamins. As a rule of thumb, you can remember: cold-pressed oils should be used for cold cooking, refined oils for hot cooking.
Onions conjure up a hearty note
Whether with meat or vegetables – onions go well with almost every dish and give the food a strong, spicy taste. Onions are also rich in nutrients and vitamins. However, people with a sensitive digestive system should be more careful and eat the vegetables in moderation – fried onions are easier to digest than raw ones.
