Ditch the Salt for Spices and Herbs

For those who are trying to decrease the amount of sodium in their diet, try taking a class on how to use spices and herbs in your cooking.

Many people are able to cut back on sodium on their own, but taking a class that focuses on reducing sodium in everyday meals may help you be more successful, according to research presented at a session for the American Heart Association.

In a small study of 55 volunteers, researchers discovered that people have more success in bringing down their sodium intake when they learn problem-solving strategies, how to use herbs and spices and how to monitor their diet. They also learned how to choose foods at the store, order in a restaurant and make low-sodium intake a permanent lifestyle choice as part of the study.

“Salt is abundant in the food supply and the average sodium level for Americans is very high — much higher than what is recommended for healthy living,” said Cheryl A. M. Anderson, Ph.D., M.P.H., lead author of the study and associate professor in the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine at the University of California San Diego. “We studied the use of a behavioral intervention where people learn how to use spices and herbs and less salt in their daily lives.”

“Given the challenges of lowering salt in the American diet, we need a public health approach aimed at making it possible for consumers to adhere to an eating pattern with less salt. This intervention using education and tasty alternatives to sodium could be one solution.”

Source: American Heart Association news release

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+ Read more about losing weight and ways to lower the amount of sodium you ingest daily.