There is a tiny poison lurking in your pantry. It might even be sitting out on your kitchen table, inconspicuous and affable, friendly and inviting. Salt is one of the major seasonings used in American cooking. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control found that we eat almost 3,500 mg of salt daily (the heart-healthy number is 1,500 mg).

Of course, salt (or its other moniker, sodium) is important in maintaining the balance of fluids in intracellular processes, promoting digestion, and facilitating nerve functions. But too much salt causes high blood pressure, water retention which results in swelling of feet and hands, and finally, congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is when the heart cannot pump blood effectively enough to the organs. If that doesn’t sound serious enough, I don’t know what does.

It isn’t common knowledge yet, but it should be. Excessive salt intake can be fatal after a lifetime of unhealthy eating habits. Where is all this salt coming from? Common table salt is the culprit in home cooking, but many of us also turn to TV dinners, pre-cooked meals, and processed foods and snacks. Sodium is added in unmitigated amounts to these products.

The problem is that we are so wrapped up in our frantic lives that we don’t have time to read labels, learn about the foods we so carelessly force our bodies to digest, and we have even less time to cook without salt and with a vengeance. I have to hand it to anyone who has switched to a lower-sodium diet. In the last couple of weeks, I have had to cook for a close relative who just came out of the hospital with congestive heart failure. It isn’t easy. It’s a very humbling experience, relearning how to cook and mix and enhance flavors. But we’re learning.

It still feels like an uphill battle because taste is not something we want to skimp on. The important thing is to get used to the subtle salt that already exists naturally in most foods, and wean ourselves off the “steroid salt” we are used to. Gosh, it makes me thirsty just writing this. Besides salt, there are countless spices, herbs, and seasonings that can be added to recipes. Watch out for condiments, however. They are loaded with extra sodium. I’ve stocked my kitchen cabinet with everything from cumin to basil, to salt-free Italian medley, to red pepper flakes. Fresh dill and parsley languish in my refrigerator as we speak.

If you really think about it, there is a plethora of additive-free foods whose succulent and enticing flavors and colors beat the dry, white powder we hold on to so dearly. Just Google "low-sodium diet," "low-salt diet," or "low-salt recipes" and you will find the support you need to adopt this lifestyle. Better yet, speak to a doctor like a nutritionist or a dietician.

A high-salt diet can be extremely dangerous and is a serious problem in our society, as serious as obesity and as deadly as second-hand smoke. It’s time to raise some awareness about it.

-Elina is a blogger for The Daily Vine. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.

Related Links

American Heart Association

University of California, San Francisco Medical Center

U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources

LowSodiumCooking.com

FitnessandFreebies.com