Salt Substitutes:

All The Flavor
Without The Guilt

Maybe your doctor has told you to find some salt substitutes- start laying off the salt shaker. Often, the reason is high sodium levels which leads to some of the following conditions, all of which are detrimental to your diabetic health:

• it will commonly elevate most people's blood pressure which can lead to complications in diabetes

• your body will retain more fluids which leads to swelling and puffiness of the extremities

• excess salt in the blood leads to slow or blocked blood circulation in the blood vessels

What Else Has High Concentrations Of Salt?

Salt substitutes are a preferential alternative to any table salts only because most people have no idea how much salt they consume on an average day. Check out the ingredient labels on these items before purchasing because many have extremely high sodium concentrations per serving. The ideal serving size is no more than 400mg per serving and up to 2400mg per day. For anyone on a low sodium diet, that limit is lowered to 1500mg per day. Some of these food products below can have half or more than that in just one serving.

• processed meats such as hot dogs, sausage or luncheon meats

• Many convenience foods such as canned soup, gravy, bouillon, canned vegetables, boxed macaroni and cheese, pasta-meat boxed entrees or rice and pasta boxed side dishes.

• preserved foods such as smoked ham or pork chops, bacon, canned salmon, corned beef or scrapple

• baking and cooking aids such as baking powder or baking soda

• canned juices such as tomato juice or vegetable juices

What Can I Use To Replace White Salt

Two quick and easy recipes for a delicious spice blend that can be used as a direct replacement for salt are below. Give both of them a try and see which is your favorite.

Salt Substitute #1

• 3 bay leaves broken into tiny pieces
• 3 tsp dried minced onion flakes
• 2 tsp dried crushed rosemary
• 1 tsp. garlic powder (not garlic salt)**
• 1 tsp rubbed sage
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a pepper mill (or blender) and grind until a fine powder. Pour into a shaker jar and use to replace the salt.

** Do not use onion salt or garlic salt as a salt replacement. All these two products are is finely ground flavored salt. Using the "powder" version of each is OK. These are not salt-based products.

Salt Substitute #2

• 1 T. onion powder
• 1 T. garlic powder
• 1 T. paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 2 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (or chili powder, to your taste)

Combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake well till combined. Pour into a shaker jar top and use in place of salt.

Celtic or Himalayan Sea Salt

Newer to the market is the use of the term sea salt. But care must be taken when purchasing any of this product line.

The easiest way to remind yourself what to buy, if it's white - do not buy it. All white salts have been processed and stripped of its nourishing mineral contents. Real sea salt varieties are always colored. Usually you will find them a pale brown(sort of tan) or varying shades of pink. Both of these are true and unaltered sea salt varieties.

Salt itself is important to the normal body functions. It is mandatory we receive a certain percentage for use each and every day. Excess consumption though is what leads to all of the difficulties with salt. Remember though, when changing over to sea salt, less is best. The quantities you are accustomed to using are never necessary anymore. Use sparingly to get the same former results.

Diabetic Warning!

If you are a diabetic beware of any lite salt substitutes you see in a store's spice section. When the sodium chloride is removed from the product it is generally replaced by potassium chloride. Many of the common medications used for glucose control will cause a build-up of potassium in the kidneys. This then requires another medication to alleviate the signs of excess potassium in your system.

An easier and more effective way of acquiring your safe sodium and potassium levels in your system is just by adding raw celery to your diet.

The advantage of adding celery to your diet stems from the natural salts and potassium levels which are minerals already present in this crunchy vegetable. Many people on a salt restricted diet complain of the lack of the taste and feel of missing salt. Celery quiets your body's cravings for these two minerals without the symptoms of high blood pressure and water retention. So just by adding about four stalks of celery per day to your diet, you can effectively reduce your cravings for salt and become adjusted to some of the other tasty salt substitutes as alternatives.

Return to "Symptoms Of Diabetes"
Return to "Alternative Therapy For Diabetes"

---

*Disclaimer*
This site is not intended to replace the advice and supervision of your professional medical treatment plan. Although all of the information is true and accurate to the best of our knowledge, we still recommend you carefully check all food labels before consuming any food product. We can not assume any legal responsibility for any illness obtained while following the advice contained on this site.