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7 Cooking Hacks to Cut the Sodium

Lemon basil garlic

Most of us are eating too much sodium, which can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure). In fact, the average adult has a 90% chance of developing hypertension which is itself the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. Swapping out the sodium can help.

I had a chance to chat with Shelley Martin, President and CEO of Nestlé Canada who recently announced that the company has achieved a 10% reduction in sodium across its product portfolio (by volume) such as pizzas and frozen meals. “We want to support people in the foods they love to eat by making them as great tasting and nutritious as they can be,” said Martin. For some products, the sodium content was simply reduced, while for other products, the spice mix was also tweaked.

I applaud food industry initiatives like this to help Canadians eat better. Your own habits can also make a big difference. Here’s what you can do at home, at the grocery store, and when eating out:

1. Cook from scratch. Dig out your apron and make a delicious meal from scratch using fresh, wholesome ingredients. If a recipe calls for salt, consider using less.

2. Play with herbs, spices and citrus. Basil pairs perfectly with tomatoes and pasta. Curry adds a hint of heat to meat, poultry, soups and stews. A little bit of garlic and onion goes a long way. And a splash of fresh lemon or lime juice instantly perks up any dish!

3. Rinse canned beans.
I love cooking with canned beans because they’re super convenient and easy on the budget. A quick rinse helps to wash away some of the sodium that may have been added.

4. Go easy on the bottled sauces
such as ketchup, BBQ sauce and soy sauce. I grew up on Chinese food, so soy sauce, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce were our go-to flavourings. Today, lower sodium soy sauce is our pantry staple. Sometimes, I dilute the sauces with water too.

5. Read and compare food labels.
Choose the brands that have less sodium. From canned fish to frozen entrées to pasta sauces – you may be surprised to see the range of sodium found in different foods!

6. Order smaller portions when eating out. Just think – if you split an entrée with a friend, then you’re also splitting the calories and sodium content. It’s win-win. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side too if possible.

7. Give your taste buds a chance to adjust.
We all need some sodium for good health. The idea is to gradually swap out the sodium so in time, you’ll retrain your taste buds and savour the wonderful flavours that food has to offer. Your heart will thank you!

What’s in store for 2014?

Happy New Year! Here’s a line-up of some top food and nutrition trends for the coming year.

Cauliflower. 2013 was the Year of the Vegetable, and the trend continues with cauliflower surpassing kale as this year’s most wanted veggie. What I love about cauliflower is its versatility – you can mash it boil it, roast it and even grill it. My fave recipe these days is quinoa salad with roasted cauliflower, sunflower seeds, diced avocado and avocado oil.

Foraging. Last summer, I was on a wilderness hike where the guide showed us how to identify and pick edible berries and leaves. It was an introduction to foraging! Our country’s backyard is a natural bounty for foraging. Think berries, fiddleheads, wild leeks, dandelion leaves and mushrooms (just make sure you know your mushrooms since some can be poisonous!)

Kañiwa. Say hello to quinoa’s cousin – kañiwa (pronounced “kah-nyee’wah). Also known as “baby quinoa”, kañiwa is a tinier grain than quinoa (ok, technically both are seeds), offers protein and grows in the Andes Mountains too. Cook kañiwa the same way you would quinoa. One difference is that kañiwa doesn’t contain saponins, so you don’t have to rinse it before cooking.

Mashups. It all started with the cronut – the hybrid croissant and donut. What’s next? Reportedly, we can look forward to ramen burgers (buns made from fried ramen noodles), macaroon ice-cream sandwiches and kale coladas!

Spices. On the radar is a range of spices inspired by Asian cuisines. First off is a Japanese “salt and pepper” spice called shichimi togarashi. It’s a blend of seven spices. Another biggie is gochujangi, a Korean condiment made from hot chili paste and fermented soybeans. I can taste the heat already!

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