Corn on the cob is one of my favorite vegetables; just add a little butter and salt and you’ve got yourself a perfect side for grilling. As I was flavoring up my cob the other day, my friend scolded me as I sprinkled on the salt, “You know you already have salt on there. That’s not unsalted butter!” I had never thought twice about the repercussions of using both. I have been seeing more and more that sodium contributes to high blood pressure and heart disease. It got me thinking, “is it time to watch my intake?”
Most Americans ingest more salt than they need. The current recommendation is to consume 1500 - 2400 milligrams of sodium a day, which equals about 1 teaspoon of table salt. This includes ALL salt and sodium consumed, including what is used in cooking, at the table and even the often substituted sea salt. Sea salt is often portrayed as more natural, but the real differences between the two are in their taste, texture and processing. Sea salt is developed by evaporating seawater, while table salt is mined from underground deposits and is more heavily processed. Both consist of the same chemical makeup with about the same amount of sodium chloride. Therefore, one is not actually better than the other.
Earlier this year, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concluded from their study, that too much salt might not really raise the risk of cardiovascular disease. They also found the death rates appeared to be higher in those with lower sodium levels which added more controversy to this highly debated topic. To summarize their findings, salt is used in a lot of processed foods which are high in both fat and salt. Processed foods are filled with additives and stripped of nutrients leaving them high in fat content. The salt is used to heighten the taste of these processed foods, and the fat is the problem. Of the American public, 65 percent are overweight and 32 percent are obese. The major contributors to hypertension are obesity and diabetes. If you do have signs leading you to question the amount of sodium you consume, here is a great resource from National Heart Lung and Blood Institute with tips to help reduce sodium in your diet. Salt by itself is not bad, but should be monitored especially for those with a higher risk of heart failure.
As long as you don’t overdo it and use salt in moderation, it can be a great flavoring to almost any dish. So can I still have salt and butter on my corn? Since I tend to have low blood pressure and don’t have any signs leading to heart disease, I am going to have my salt (in moderation) and eat it too! What spices or herbs do you cook with? Are there spices you like to substitute for salt?
Resources:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43171460/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/?gt1=43001
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sea-salt/AN01142