The history of salt

Salt is one of the oldest natural minerals in everyday use by everyone. Its importance is literally prehistoric: as life developed in the sea, millions of years ago, the salt in the water was one of the elements crucial to its existence. When life emerged onto the land, this dependence continued, and man today relies upon salt no less than his amoebic ancestors.

Nowadays salt is commonplace but this was not always so. In the middle ages it had to be mined, and was extremely valuable as a food preservative. The Roman Army made an allowance of salt to officers and men; this 'Salarium' became today's 'Salary'. Earlier, the Chinese used coins made of salt, and as far back as 2000 BC recognised its health implications, saying: 'If too much salt is used in the food, the pulse hardens'. Salt trading established one of the earliest Roman roads, the Via Salaria, and contributed to the development of Genoa , Pisa and Venice . Even now, there's a salt mine in Poland that has been in operation for over 700 years.

The English language is rich with phrases that reflect salt's original status as a luxury commodity; 'worth one's salt'; 'below the salt', 'salt of the earth'.

We are what we eat

So the saying goes, and today we are becoming more and more concerned about how what we eat affects our bodies. Common table salt - sodium chloride - although essential for our health, is something we eat too much of. On average we eat the equivalent of two and a half teaspoons each day - about five times more sodium than the body needs to function efficiently. And now that salt - or more precisely, the sodium element of it - is being closely linked with high blood pressure, it's more than time to think about cutting down.

So-How to cut down on salt?

The best and simplest thing to do is cut out the salt that's easiest to cut out - the salt you use at the table and add in cooking.

But if you, or your family, like a salty taste, or find some unsalted foods bland, then think about a low-sodium alternative to satisfy your taste-buds.

NaTrislim contains only one third the sodium of common salt, yet it has all the flavor, and looks, cooks and tastes the same.

And as it contains the two natural body minerals - potassium and sodium in a 2 to 1 ratio, it's a great way to get the low salt habit going.

The salt checklist.

As we have already said, 'Moderation in all things' is the principle that should apply to one's intake of salt. So be aware of those foods, which are currently prepared in a way which makes them have a high sodium content.

These are the ones, which some years ago the Health Education Council suggested we should try not to eat too much of:

High Sodium Foods (before cooking)

Steak and Kidney Pie Pork Sausages Beef Extract Tomato Ketchup Yeast Extract Brown Sauce Shrimps Luncheon Meat Olives BeefburgersBacon Corned Beef Salami Margarine (salted) Sweet Pickle

Butter (salted) Prawns Canned sardines Blue Cheese Pork Pie Processed Cheese Instant Porridge Ham Most cheeses Smoked Haddock Kippers Black Pudding Crisps Cornflakes Canned Spaghetti

Recently there have been recommendations which suggest significant changes in emphasis in our national diet, as a basis for healthier living.'Moderation in all things' is the best maxim, and for a better diet it is now suggested that we eat leaner cuts of meat, more fish, and avoid fried and fatty foods as much as possible. Also we should be eating more unrefined foods in the form of fresh green vegetables and fruit, wholemeal bread, pulses, wholegrain cereals, low fat cheeses and yoghurt.

As cooking is the point at which so much of our daily intake of salt occurs, it is only sensible to start cutting down on salt in the kitchen, when preparing food. This is where the right low-sodium alternative, like NaTrislim, can still give you all the taste, flavor and seasoning in your food that you have come to expect.

Cooking tips

Use NaTrislim just like ordinary salt, and follow these tips for the very best results in the kitchen:

SOUPS
When making soups, add NaTrislim after cooking as this imparts the best flavour.

BREADMAKING

NaTrislim works perfectly in breadmaking - indeed we think you'll find a wholemeal loaf is lighter and better textured. Just add NaTrislim to the flour, before adding the yeast, when following your favourite recipe.

EGGS
Egg recipes normally suggest added salt - use NaTrislim in its place.

VEGETABLES
When cooking vegetables, don't make the mistake of adding bicarbonate of soda (more sodium!) to improve colour. Steam (or boil) them in the minimum of water with a little NaTrislim for only a matter of minutes to keep the important minerals and

vitamins intact.

RICE
Rice is especially bland without seasoning. So add a little NaTrislim first to the water, in which the rice is to be boiled (to draw out the best flavour) - and remember to use brown rice whenever possible, as it is more tasty and has a higher fibre content.

PASTA
With pasta, the important tip is to add the NaTrislim when the water has come to the boil (plus a little oil), so that the continuous rolling boil is not depressed, and the risk of pasta sticking to the pan is greatly reduced.

What to do next?

Eat the right foods and try and see if you can try doing without discretionary table salt altogether. However, if you or your family still want to taste then try a low sodium salt alternative as a regular part of your cooking and eating habits.