A Soapbox Entry: Salt

Salt was an epiphany for me. It's probably the most integral ingredient in any kitchen in any nation in the world, and yet I used to casually leave it out of my recipes thinking I was "cutting back on my sodium intake." This entry is not meant to debunk any myth about how bad high sodium diets are for you- 150 hours of studying for a cardiovascular exam have taught me quite the opposite. I would, however, like to point out one misconception that has given salt a bad rap. This adorable little graphic from The Mayo Clinic illustrates nicely where our high sodium intake comes from:

The point I'm trying to make is that if you're consuming too much sodium, it's not from the extra dash here and there in your cooking, and if you're cooking with real, natural ingredients, then you're probably not getting too much sodium.

That being said, allow me to elaborate on how wonderful salt is. There's a reason that nearly every recipe, from casserole to curry to cookies calls for salt. You do not add salt to foods to make them taste like salt. In fact, you shouldn't taste "salt" at all. The point of this magic ingredient is to crystallize the flavors- to make them bold, independent, and sparkly. Once I got over my society-bred salt phobia and started adding salt to my food, I began to realize its true power. Adding salt just turns up the volume on whatever it is you're cooking. The draw back, of course, is that once you've added too much salt, it's almost impossible to go back. It's a critical ingredient, but you walk a very fine line, hence the irreplaceable importance of the taste test. If you've been hesitant, just try it out, in small doses. There's a reason an entire portion of your tongue is devoted to this flavor.