Eating Well,  Good Health

Healthy Cooking – Salt and Seasonings

healthy cooking - salt and seasoningsSalt and seasonings can turn an ordinary meal into a work of culinary art, but many people are concerned about getting too much salt in their diets and timid about experimenting with herbs and spices.

Salt can cause problems with high blood pressure and water retention or bloating. While you do need some salt in your diet for good health, those of us who enjoy fast food and prepackaged snacks typically get way too much.

When shopping for ingredients, look for items labeled as “low sodium” or “sodium free.” By choosing lower sodium foods, you can control how much salt you add to your meals. When you must use salt, choose natural sea salt.

Add Flavor with Seasonings

Many people associate the idea of healthy cooking with bland food. But if you’re going to cook healthy it’s a no-brainer that you have to enjoy what you’re eating. Otherwise you won’t ever be able to adopt healthy cooking techniques and healthy eating in the long-term.

It’s important to make sure that while you’re eliminating unhealthy fats and sugars that you don’t forget to add flavor. Natural spices and herbs can be the best way to enhance the flavor of your food and can boost your health, too.

If you haven’t used many spices before, now is the time to add some spice to your life! The following spices are critical to have in your pantry as you make the switch to healthy cooking:

  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic
  • Pepper (black, red, white, cayenne)
  • Nutmeg
  • Paprika
  • Salt-free seasoning
  • Italian seasoning
  • Basil

As you continue to cook, you’ll want to add more and more spices to your supply. But these are some great choices that can get you started.

Grow Your Own Herbs

You might also want to consider keeping fresh herbs on hand. Growing your own is the least expensive way to enjoy them, and many herbs will do quite well on a sunny window sill or in a backyard garden.

As the gardening season begins to end, you can chop up your herbs and freeze them in ice cube trays. This way you can continue to enjoy them year round.

healthy cooking greek oreganoSome great herbs to get started with include the following:

  • Parsley
  • Chives
  • Oregano
  • Thyme
  • Sage
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Rosemary

Adding fresh spices will make any dish more flavorful. Remember that healthy cooking doesn’t have to be boring and bland. The more flavor you add, the more you’ll enjoy what you’re eating.

If you enjoy the food you eat when cooking healthy, you’ll be more likely to make a long-term change.

If you’re not familiar with cooking healthy, it can take some time to adjust. But as you add a new technique you’ll find that it can be easy and rewarding.

As you cook more and more, you’ll begin to feel comfortable with experimenting with recipes – and unleashing your inner chef can also be a lot of fun.

If you haven’t used many spices before, now is the time to add some spice to your life! Adding salt and seasonings will make any dish more flavorful.

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