Sugar addiction, what about salt?

[Gelatoguy]

Hi everyone, the following is purely based upon my own musings and hopefully will give food for thought and maybe even a little debate.
We all know about the recent concerns about sugars part to play in obesity and associated poor health, we also know that giving up sugar is no easy task, but could salt be be sugars addictive little brother?
OK, take a cup of coffee or a bowl of cornflakes, a bowl of fresh strawberries ect. Those with a sweet tooth will be wanting to sprinkle a little sugar. However if you go without refined sugar entirely for a good length of time your tastebuds become more susceptible to sweetness meaning that you start to get enough sweetness from the milk in your coffee or the sweetness from the corn that made the flake or indeed the natural sugars that make fruit taste like sweets.
So what if we go without refined salt in our diets for a goodly time, would we/ do we really need it to enhance our food, is the refined salt in our diets numbing our tastebuds.
Professional chefs swear by it, season as you go right? but let's not forget professional bakers love of sugar in our cakes, donuts ect.
Just my thoughts, I look forward to yours.

 

[Addie]

As a diabetic I am so aware of natural sugar in fresh fruits and juices. As babies, I always made my own baby food and didn't put salt in their food. It wasn't until they were around two or so that they finally got to eat grownup food. Not one of them were too crazy about how salty it tasted to them. But in time they got used to the taste. But not too much. Not one of them reach for the salt shaker. And neither do I. I am notorious for forgetting to salt the pasta water. That flavor packet in the ramen package? Makes for filler in the trash can. I will use my Better Than Bullion instead.

When I was first diagnosed with diabetes, I tried every sugar substitute on the market. They all left me with a metallic taste in my mouth. Maybe it was just my taste buds that were out of whack. So I promised myself, if I could continue to use sugar and cream in my coffee, I would give up every other sweet food that came my way. And for the most part I have lived with that restriction. Except for...... One Mounds Bar, one Peppermint Patty and four Peeps at Easter. These three candies are spread out over a years time. This year I skipped the Mounds and Peppermint Patty.

By sticking to that self made promise, I have been able to, by diet alone, no longer need to take insulin of any kind. Pill or injection. I also suffer from low blood pressure in-spite of having had three heart attacks. Thanks to not reaching for the salt shaker every time.

It does take self restraint to not reach for the sugar or salt every time you open your mouth to put food in it. But unless you are bucking for sainthood, don't beat yourself up if there is a slip every so often. I do think the public has become more aware of the hazards of some seasonings that we use to often take for granted. They are now purchasing foods that are less seasoned than in the past. Veggies now can be purchased "salt free". We have become a nation of "back label readers." Today due to the hue and cry from the public, there are more and more products that no longer contain "corn syrup!"

 

[Gelatoguy]

I take my hat off to you for being so incredibly self disciplined even with the motivation of your medical requirements. Interesting comments, we seem to agree on the salt issue. I do still season, there's no denying it tastes good ( just as sugar does) but more and more I'm thinking it may not be that nessacary in homecooking. The commercial foods of course are another matter as some of those still need to find ways of preserving their food.

 

[Addie]

When I was first diagnosed, I still had kids a home. So I was still cooking from scratch. The way I learned from my mother and first husband who was a pro chef. So it has never been a big deal for me to continue that practice now that I live alone. It just never occurred to me to buy a cake mix. I can make my own Salisbury Steaks with gravy. Why should I buy it already made from the freezer in the store? I have always cooked by the idea of if I can find it in the store freezer, I can make it myself and it will taste even better. My first husband taught me how to make FF like you get in the restaurant. So between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00, I can peel enough potatoes to feed my family. And no big deal to blanch them first and then finish them while the Salisbury Steak and gravy was being made. Surely I could handle two burners at the same time. The kids had the job each night of setting the table.

I have never understood any of my friends who complained on a daily basis of having to cook for their family. It is the one chore I enjoyed. Still do. Just don't have the family at home anymore. Now the one chore I do hate is dusting.

 

[Katie H]

Recently our national news has been informing us of the dangers of sugar. When it comes to our household, they're preaching to the choir. Generally speaking, Glenn and I use very little sugar. We don't drink soda/pop. Not coffee drinkers. Well, one cup for breakfast on Sunday. He drinks his black I like mine "all the way."

We both grew up in an era where literally everything at every meal was made from scratch and that's how I've always cooked. In fact, Glenn commented tonight that everything on our plates was preservative-free and made by my hands.

As for salt, I've never used much salt. My physician father always remarked that if I had to go on a salt-free diet, I wouldn't know the difference from my normal diet.

Interestingly enough, when I was pregnant with one of my children, I experienced a water retention problem that was a bit of a problem. Salt in my diet wasn't the issue. Well, salt in the foods I prepared wasn't the problem. It turned out that the few commercially-canned goods that I consumed, had enough salt in them to push my body over the edge. As a result, the doctor restricted me to fresh only, along with no canned or frozen foods. Turns out frozen foods also have salt in them. Small quantities, but still some salt.

Nearly all of my cooking life, when a recipe calls for salt, I usually add only half of what is asked. I sample as I go and, if more salt is needed, I add only a little. Salt is rarely added at the table.

I don't remember when I bought salt last.

 

[Addie]

I never remember to put the shaker on the table. Salt is simply not a priority in my cooking. I do buy frozen veggies. But there is 45 grams of sodium in a one pound bag. And I don't eat the whole bag myself.

As I stated before, I have low blood pressure. For a number of years I have been suffering from sudden nose bleeds. I never considered them a problem. Then one day when I was at the hospital for a pre op workup, I had one and started to head for the floor. the last words I heard were "Do we have a crash cart?" That is when I found out that the nose bleeds were a warning sign that my blood pressure was dropping. Who'd of thunk it! I never put the two together. The doctor in the ER told me to consider upping my salt intake. I try to remember to use salt. I just don't miss it if I don't use it.

I do feel for those who have used salt their whole lives and have to cut it out overnight. Kind of like me having to give up sugar for my coffee.

I am a label reader. And if I should see that the sodium is what I consider too high, I will look at another brand. I need to find out if there are other elements that would cause one's BP to go up. Now that I have lost all this weight, the nurses at Winthrop are having an even more difficult time getting a BP reading. I need to get my BP up. I just had a nose bleed two weeks ago.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My take on salt. It is needed in your body for good health and proper functioning of multiple body systems. Your body knows when it has enough salt and tells you, "You are thirsty." The lack of salt and your body tells you, "you are dizzy and weak".

Some of us are salt sensitive and it will raise your blood pressure, in that case you need to back off, but do not leave it out. I tend to salt binge, but only if I have water to dilute it.

As for sugar, it's not a bad thing in it's self, but you do have to have the will power to reduce your intake.

 

[Addie]

My take on salt. It is needed in your body for good health and proper functioning of multiple body systems. Your body knows when it has enough salt and tells you, "You are thirsty." The lack of salt and your body tells you, "you are dizzy and weak".

Some of us are salt sensitive and it will raise your blood pressure, in that case you need to back off, but do not leave it out. I tend to salt binge, but only if I have water to dilute it.

As for sugar, it's not a bad thing in it's self, but you do have to have the will power to reduce your intake.

Thank you or the information Princess. It is way more than any of the doctors ever told me. They just told me to try and use more salt. I do need to have more salt in my diet. I also need to increase my potassium. I have a terrible diet.

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't think people really get "addicted" to salt or sugar and they definitely improve the flavor of food. People evolved to like both of them. More info here: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2013/04/15/how-to-overcome-your-sugar-addiction

 

[fmw]

My belief has always been that since we all have to eat, we might as well eat well. I think the secret to losing or maintaining weight is portion control. If you eat what you like but less of it you won't have that diet syndrome of changing diet and then going back.

Salt is one of those things that might affect heart disease but actually doesn't seem to. It is one of the most important ingredients in most dishes.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

My belief has always been that since we all have to eat, we might as well eat well. I think the secret to losing or maintaining weight is portion control. If you eat what you like but less of it you won't have that diet syndrome of changing diet and then going back.

Salt is one of those things that might affect heart disease but actually doesn't seem to. It is one of the most important ingredients in most dishes.

Salt is an important factor of some forms of heart disease, salt reduction does help these patients. Some people need salt for proper heart function, low sodium levels are not something you want. Some of are salt sensitive and it raises blood pressure, also not good for your heart.

 

[Addie]

I buy sea salt only now. I find that if and when I use it, I use only half of what I would normally use. I have even turned my daughter and her husband on to it.

 

[GotGarlic]

All salt is sea salt. Calling it that just adds to the price.

 

[CharlieD]

I'd die, G-d forbid, if I could not have salt. Growing up my mother did a huge de-service to me, the whole family. She used tons of salt. So do I. I have been trying to be careful and use a lot les than I used to. Never the less it is still more than many people. I am definitely addicted to salt.


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