Cravings – we all have them. Did you know that your salty palate is a learned palate? Most of us love to experience the happiness that different foods give us but rarely do we ask why. Why do these foods make us happy?
Salty foods and snacks, especially processed snacks, target the parts of our brains and act as a stimulant. I’ll spare you the chemistry lesson, and instead, I’ll give you three easy ways to reduce your salt intake for heart health.
- Ditch the (iodized) table salt and switch to sea salt or kosher salt. Be sure to use while cooking, which allows the salt flavors to bloom and marry without using as much as you would after cooking.
- Reduce and eliminate processed foods, as they carry excess salt. Take the packaged ramen, for example. It’s a meal that we have all had at some point in our lives. While it’s incredibly cheap, it carries almost an entire day’s sodium limit.
- Watch for added salt. There is extra salt on pretzels, breadsticks, fried foods, and even popcorn, just to name a few.
Salty flavors are enjoyable…I get it. Reduction is better than elimination. Your body needs a certain amount of sodium on a daily basis, but trust me when I say that you won’t have any trouble meeting this limit.
So when you get that salty craving change the type of salt used, use it sparingly, or opt for a splash of lemon or lime juice as the acidity can satisfy that craving. Cheers to keeping your heart happy and healthy!