Salted

[jennyjoan]

Am confused by this. Salt is very bad for you so why do we Salted Chili Chicken, Salted caramel etc. Is it a different salt.

[woofgang]

we do it because it tastes good!

[Rockrose]

Salt is bad for you in large quantities, if you eat it in small quantities you are ok.
The amount of salt used in salted caramel is minimal

[MallyJ]

Salt is only bad for you if you ingest too much. How much is healthy depends on several factors...for example OH used to work in Saudi Arabia doing physical work so had to take salt tablets as he was sweating out so much salt. You need some salt in your diet. If you cover everything you eat in a layer of salt this will not be good for you but some salt is fine. Worth checking out how much is in processed food and also worth avoiding processed food altogether...if possible

[jennyjoan]

ok - thanks

[Atheist]

Salt is essential for us, that's why elephants trek for miles to lick natural salt. But...we have far too much salt available in our diets, and it has a deliciousness that makes us love it. In fact, salt masks the natural flavour of food; it becomes a bit of an addiction, so that we crave it. Catering pros know that it's addictive and that it also makes us thirsty, so they overseason everything. Excess of salt is associated with increased blood pressure. So salt, like sugar, should be avoided as an additive. We get both naturally in food, and we shouldn't add extra sprinkles. I find tea with sugar is disgustingly sweet, and ready meals are disgustingly salty. If you cut down on both you will learn to recognise its presence, and you will get a taste for natural food. Salt is a chemical (sodium chloride) and it's all the same stuff.

[pastafreak]

If you eat natural, unprocessed foods...no ready meals, takeout, that sort of thing, you are likely to need some added salt. If you do add salt, try seasalt or pink salt. They are shown to be better nutritionally than ordinary table salt, which has been stripped of it's nutrients.

[jennyjoan]

well then - can you ask at the Chinese - a "no salted" Chili Chicken LOL

[jennyjoan]

I am aware of salt - I don't hardly use it now as it is everywhere.

[Prudie]

I hate all this salted caramel stuff, I don't want salted caramel - especially not in ice-cream. I want caramel, no salt!!

[gingejbee]

It's the sodium part of sodium chloride that's regarded as particularly bad (salt alternatives contain potassium chloride instead....a sort-of-similar taste).
Go to the Chinese takeaway and if the MSG doesn't get you, the soy sauce, oyster sauce etc will (all contain more sodium chloride than is desirable).

[woofgang]

Atheist, everything in this world is made of chemicals.

[Old_Geezer]

Excess salt is bad for your health, sufficient is good for your sense of taste. (By sufficient I mean about twice as much as the cook uses.)

[Old_Geezer]

And everyone agrees; I'm worth my salt.

[Atheist]

Woof, what is your point?

[woofgang]

well you said that salt is a chemical as though other things aren't

[Atheist]

Woof, I didn't mean that other things aren't chemicals. It is true that we are made of chemicals, but that is just a technical term to express the fact that we are made of atoms, and that collections of atoms are described as chemicals. There is no moral judgment about this.