By now you have read enough about the benefits of limiting salt in your diet. The CDC recommends no more than 2300mg of sodium per day while most doctors will lean towards 1500mg per day for a healthy diet. You have also probably seen salt and sodium being used interchangeably. Are they the same thing? The short answer is NO!

What’s In My Salt?

Time for a quick chemistry lesson (remember the periodic table?). Table salt (NaCl) is made up of about 40% sodium (Na) and 60% Chloride (Cl). One teaspoon of Morton’s table salt contains about 2360mg of sodium. However, it gets complicated quickly – all salts are not the same! The sodium content varies based on the type of salt.

All salts are not made up of only sodium chloride. Some like LoSalt (pictured above) are actually a blend of two mineral salts – potassium chloride and sodium chloride, reducing the sodium content by about 60%! This is great! However, be aware that by reducing the sodium, you are actually increasing the potassium intake. This could have implications for those of you that need to watch your potassium consumption. When in doubt, read the nutrition fact label and choose to suit your personal dietary constraints.

No-Salt Seasoning

Then there are the no-salt seasonings that have become a staple in my kitchen. Mrs. Dash has a whole range of spice blends that are awesome! I have also used the 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe’s as well as the Organic No-salt Seasoning Blend from Costco. When combined with freshly squeezed lime juice and fresh herbs, these are very effective ways to fool the tongue. All the taste, none of the sodium!