Salt is in just about everything you eat. This is particularly true if you eat out
often. Too much sodium causes heart and renal disease. It can also cause cancer and a variety of other health problems. The key to cutting sodium is to get savvy with your cooking. Herbs can help. Herbs add a powerful flavor punch and they also offer a variety of health benefits.
Here are six herbs which will help you forget about salt (and not miss it):
- Garlic: Garlic is the queen of seasoning. It’s one of the most flavorful seasonings and you can find it in just about every culture. From Mexican to Greek, garlic is always a favorite. And garlic is versatile too. You can roast it for a sweet flavor, sauté it for a nice rich flavor and you can even boil it. Try adding a bit of roasted or boiled garlic to your next batch of mashed potatoes and skip the salt. You won’t miss it.
- Chives: Chives are another great herb. A member of the onion family, thesmallest of the onion family, they work well in salads, on fish and in potato dishes as well.
- Basil: Basil is fantastic and tastes great in Thai and Italian recipes. It’s also a nice touch for a salad. Use fresh or dried to add flavor to a number of meals.
- Oregano: Commonly used in Italian cooking and combined with basil, oregano has a complicated flavor that ranges from sweet to spicy depending on the meal. It’s also used in Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, and Latin cooking. It’s also often used to season sautéed vegetables and grilled meat including chicken. Fresh or dried, oregano is a favorable herb.
- Sage: We most commonly think of sage as a Thanksgiving stuffing herb; However, sage is great at adding flavor to meat. It’s also used in soup and some Italian cooking.
- Ginger: Ginger has quite a kick and will make anyone forget about the salt. It’s wonderful in soups, and can be found in Indian, Chinese and Japanese recipes. It works well with meat and vegetables. It’s also noted for its ability to aid digestion.
Enjoy and experiment with the vast number of herbs provided by nature.
