Topic: salt..........

[qahtan]

 Have you ever noticed how much salt is asked for in recipes these days.
 back in the "old" days when baking most recipes asked for pinch salt, UK recipes that is, now most of them call for teaspoon salt.
 
 Most of my baking I don't add any salt to cakes /pastry etc as I use salted butter. as you most likely know I bake all the bread stuffs eaten in this house and many friends houses have done it since just before I married, 54 years ago. but my point being, I make our basic bread, white,  home milled whole wheat, multi grain what ever, and most times I use 10 cups flour to about 1 litre liquid, but to that I add 1 rounded teaspoon fine sea salt, plus 1 tablespoon sugar/ malt, 1/4 cup soft butter, >>>>>>
 you look at many many recipes even for a small amount flour they call 1 teaspoon salt. That's 1 teaspoon to 3 cups flour.....
I have had no complaints yet, and I am pretty sure we are better off with
cut back on salt.
Maybe I am too serious about these things,
 Just wondered what your thoughts were on this salt issue. qahtan

[Mortality]

I don't cook with salt at all, but I do have to have salt and vinegar on chips  :P

[small]

I use a level teaspoon of salt to 8 oz of flour for bread.  Much less and I find it tasteless. I only use a pinch for pastry, pizza bases etc, but never omit it.  I salt water for veg as well, again only a pinch. We don't eat any convenience food though, the salt levels seem really high in those.

[qahtan]

Wow, 1 teaspoon to 8 ozs flour that less than 2 cups...aprox.

I think a lot of the flavour of bread comes from what yeast you use, plus the flour.

I never salt veggies, or have pre prepared food.

But as I said I wondered what others thought about salt.......

[Jeannine]

I use it where I feel it needs it in cooking and not where it doesn't, I never add salt to cooked foods on t etable. I eat unsalted crisps, low salt bacon etc. I make all my own bread and use a little salt in that and i do salt water for veggies. I am not a addict nor am I a purist. XX Jeannine

[realfood]

I do not use any salt for cooking. Choosing veg varieties for flavour and avoiding boiling them, they have more natural flavour. You can always add herbs for additional flavour.
No salt for bread either, but I frequently add things like tomatoes, olives in oil, carrots, squash, herbs etc., to bread. You soon get used to the different taste and so much better for your health.

[Jeannine]

I  choose my veggies for flavour and I don't overboil in fact I steam everything except potatoes. Taste is a personal thing therefore there is no right ot wrong way to use salt or  to cook veggies come to that. It has to be a personal choice. I have a friend who never uses any salt in cooking at all, in fact she doesn't buy it, but I don't like most of her food, rarely do I eat here as it is uncomfortable.

I know someone who thinks I am odd because I eat a boiled egg without salt, but I prefer it that way. I think salted crisps are terrible yet many folks love them, yet I think veggies and bread without salt is awful and yet my friend prefers it.

I think salt is like most things, moderation is the key, sometimes banning something from your diet is not the answer, if it is for you then great but for others it is not and so comom sense has to find a moderate compromise.

XX Jeannine

[dtw]

I always use less salt than recipes require.

I only use a sprinkle if it asks for a whole teaspoon.

I would never put a whole teaspoon of salt on my chips, so why that much in bread?

[valmarg]

Salt is an essential part of a balanced diet.  To eliminate salt completely is extremely dangerous.

You wouldn't put a whole teaspoon of salt on your  chips, because you are eating all the chips at once.  A teaspoon of salt in a loaf is not bad.  The amount of salt per slice is negligible.

The danger with salt intake is with processed foods.  We don't eat any ready meals.  The nearest we get to processed food is tinned baked beans, apart from that we make all our own meals.  We know what salt is included in our meals.  Yes. we do use it, but in moderation.

valmarg