6 Ways to Use Herbs and Reduce Your Salt Intake

Salt is well known to add taste in the food you eat and is one of the most widely used ingredients in the kitchen. This universal flavour enhancer can complement almost every dish. However, high sodium intake can take you close to various health complications like hypertension, increase water retention, weaken bones and also increase the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. So, if you are someone who wants to ditch salt then natural herbs can help you in this. Addition of natural herbs in the food can easily make your meals scrumptious and don’t make you crave for salt. Herbs like cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary, dill and paprika can easily add a unique zest to your dishes and we bet that after trying these different ways to use herbs in your food, you won’t ask for salt anymore!

Here are 6 ways to use herbs to reduce the intake of salt:

• Add it to your salad: The taste of salad is quite bland and boring and you might always look forward to adding salt to your salad. But not anymore! Instead of adding salt to your salad try to make your salad dressing with natural herbs like cayenne pepper, basil, oregano and pepper. These can make your salad extremely delicious without any sodium or any health complications. Don’t forget to add a splash of olive oil over it to absorb the best of fat-soluble nutrients.
• Sprinkle over soup: There is nothing as tempting as a hot bowl of soup! But if you are finding ways to add flavour to your soup without filling it with sodium, then a dash of natural herbs and spices can help. Herbs like chilli peppers, oregano, basil, bay leaf, rosemary can do wonders to your soup. Start by adding small amounts of seasoning to the broth to get a strong flavour and to skip the sodium without even adjusting the taste.
• Roast in veggies: Roasted veggies are something we can never resist! But to make it sodium free you can chop them and roast it with sage leaves, thyme sprigs, rosemary and pepper. These herbs are quite beneficial for your health and keep the digestive issues like gas and bloating at bay. It gives a unique flavour to your veggies and completely makes you forget you about the salt.
• Season your regular meals: We all use a lot of salt to our regular dishes to enhance its flavour! If you are trying to decrease the intake of salt, then the first and foremost step is to cut it from your regular meals. Keep the salt on hold and try to incorporate natural herbs and spices in each and every meal you consume. Cayenne pepper, basil, oregano, rosemary, dill, paprika and more such herbs go well with your lentils, pulses, oats, yoghurt or any other regular dish.
• Add to your beverages: We all know that salt-rich beverages are not good for health and relying on sodium-filled beverages can take us close to various health complications. Swapping the salt with natural herbs is a great way to reduce the consumption of salt. You can try thyme lemonade, sage raspberry smash, minty buttermilk, apple and rosemary blend, rosemary iced tea, orange thyme mix and many more soothing and healthy recipes that don’t require salt and taste delicious.
• Blend it in your sauces and dips: Be it sandwiches, chapati, wraps, rice, chilla or dosa- dips and sauces goes well with almost everything. You surely fill your dips and sauces with plenty of salt to enhance its taste but switching the salt with different types of herbs and spices can easily make it flavoursome and healthy. Try that green chutney with paprika, mint, oregano, thyme and pepper and you will never ask for the addition of salt after that.

Over to you
Add the natural herbs in your food to reduce the consumption of salt and do try the above-written ways to make your dishes more luscious and healthy with the addition of sodium in it.