Lo salt

[TROUBR]

I have been told that Lo salt is not suitable for diabetics, could someone please tell me why? I don't cook with salt (haven't since I had my son 4 years ago) and don't generally put it on my food however I still struggle with having no salt on potatoes. Consequently I am just not having any but I find rice seems to spike me so that generally leaves me with bread or pasta for my carbs. Anyone have any advise?

Many Thanks

Louise

 

[ally5555]

lo salt contains alot of potassium and can be dangerous for any one with heart problems - it can raise blood potassium levels. Also i have seen some studies linking it to raised bp as well but cannot remeber where I saw them!

I actually do not rec it for anyone!

It actually taste a little bitter.

I would normally suggest using a little salt in cooking and not to add it at the table. Most of the salt that causes the excess comes from ready meals etc - so really there is no need to cut salt out altogether. Perhaps use a teaspoon in a large pot of potatoes - that contains around 1800 mg. Beleive it or not too little salt is bad for as well - just look what happened to that poor woman a few weeks ago - after seeing a NUT! trisionist!

Must admit I cant go completely salt free but never add salt at the table

 

[TROUBR]

Thanks Ally, and for your reply to my pm the other day (sorry I should have said sooner but the Olympics has kept me rather busy)! I avoid salt at the table although my son has seen my hubby use it so he have to shake it over his plate (covering the hole!) he does comment that he can't see it but we just tell him it has disolved (melted) into his food - I am sure he will catch us out soon!

Louise

 

[ally5555]

me too - I have a real interest as some of the guys out there i have been working with - so I am glued to the sofa!!

 

[TROUBR]

It must be good to have a vested interest, I am in an open plan office full of sports journo's. The down side is that I have heaps of work to do and I keep getting cheers or groans depending on what is happening - ok if you are watching the same event - not so good if you have a heap of finance work to get through!

 

[Buachaille]

I have not used salt since 1978. It comes in restaurant meals which I can'avooid when eating out and in canned veg, beans etc. You can therefore get all of the salt you need from 'hidden' sources. One problem I now have is the terrible drouth experienced after having a Chinese although other spices tend to mask the amount of salt the meals contain.

When we cook potatoes or vegetables at home we chop or crush garlic and add it to the pot. Despite using large quantities of garlic in the cooking it can't be tasted and does not show on your breath - it does however enhance the flavour of the vegetables. Smoked garlic is particularly good with dark green veg, winter cabbages, kale, spinach and with swede turnip.

Potatoes are interesting. If cooked, drained and left overnight in a tightly lidded pan the intense garlic flavour is wonderful - but none of the smell on breath that puts most people off. Extremely nice if sliced and fried in olive oil and butter (with poached eggs and bacon).

For soups, we gently sweat the vegetables in butter before adding stock. We never add salt, either in the cooking or at the table. Visitors have sea salt from Guerande available either as fine white salt or in the granular grey form through a grinder. There is always peppercorns of various variety to grind. Oddly, we find many friends who eat with us regularly remark that the vegetables/soups always taste 'sweeter'.

 

[BillB]

I must admit that unless someone has very high blood pressure I can't see the point of avoiding salt. The human body, having evolved from sea creatures, needs a certain amount of salt. My wife and I were in Guerande earlier this year and stocked up on crystals packed directly from the salt pans. :wink:

 

[ally5555]

yes you are right i think the problem is the salt added to processed food - which if you are eating properly you won't be eating!

 

[chocoholic]

My mother has really high blood pressure and I was most concerned to read she shouldn't use Lo-Salt as I've seen her add this to her veggies when she's cooking and commented then about how much she used. (Seemed like masses to me.) She just said it was lower in sodium so it was fine but I still felt she was using far too much. (I don't add salt to veggies when cooking or at the table)I phoned her immediately I read the post on here but she said the pack just carries a warning for diabetics and those with a heart problems, so she took my advice with a pinch of salt and will continue to use it. I did TRY and tell her!!!
:roll: :roll: :roll: I

 

[TROUBR]

Re: Lo salt - LESKOL

Another thing is that I have found a low fat cheese (or rather it is vaguely called a "cheese alternative" called LESKOL it is by far the best low fat cheese (or not :? ) that I have found but it contains low-salt. Given that I am not using a huge amount I have carried on using it as it is " superlow in sat.fat, reduced Cholesterol, Rich in Omega 3" and it tastes pretty normalish!

 

[Buachaille]

Is sit not that there is salt added to many food products that we never really think about as being 'processed' and most of which we do not associate with a 'salty' taste. For example, bread, cheese, every kind of smoked fish, bacon, ham, bottled sauces, salad dressings, egg mayonnaise, pickles, butter (unless you deliberately select unsalted) etc.

We never purchase 'ready made' meals. Yesterday at various times I had a kipper, reasonable portion of brie, a couple of pickled dill cucumbers, 2 slices of wholemeal bread and two slices of boiled ham. The only thing I consumed which I know had no added salt was a large portion of Ratatouille that I made with fresh vegetables, olive oil and unsalted butter.

Even in a days reasonably healthy eating we probably absorb more hidden salt than we realise.