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When a person such as myself who is told by her doctor that with a failing kidney (or in other cases heart, etc) that they need to reduce their salt to a certain level, then it can be hard to find food in grocery stores and restaurants that cater to the no-salt diet. In fact, a person can check recipes, cookbooks, and on-line foodie sites never finding salt-free cooking recipes.

So when I found this book at Borders (The No-Salt Cookbook), I thought that I was favored by a "higher power." My doctor told me that I could only eat two thousand milligrams of sodium a day. I found quickly that 2 grams (or two thousand milligrams) was the size of one teaspoon.

The No-Salt Cookbook is written by David C. Anderson and Thomas D. Anderson, who also had the same experiences when looking for good salt-free, MSG-free food when eating at restaurants. Thomas became a self-taught chef and recipe writer. David is a journalist with thirty years of experience.

What is really nice about this book is that you don't lose the flavor when you lose the salt. There are spices such as mustard that can add that extra flavor. This book provides recipes for condiments, bread, soups, salad, chicken, meat, fish, and even desserts. They add warnings about food such as peanut butter that has been filled with sugar and salt.

Because of this book, I have found ways to take my favorite recipes and make them more flavorful without the salt, potassium, or other spices such as MSG that can hurt my kidneys. Another element that is so important when cooking with no-salt is the use of fresh ingredients. They give good advices about using stone ground flour for tastier bread recipes.

Thomas Anderson has been promoting the salt free lifestyle for several years. Two years ago (2005) he was writing a salt free life newsletter for those who needed to reduce salt in their diets. Although I did not find his site, there are several blogs that are taking on the task of promoting a salt-free life.

Here are some reasons why you would need to reduce the salt: kidney failure, Meniere's syndrome, high blood pressure (hypertension), water retention (edema), and other disease or conditions. Even a normal person without these diseases should be careful of the salt intake. However, before reducing salt, talk to your doctor. You do need some salt and potassium for the muscles.

But, if the doctor has warned you that your salt intake is too heavy, here is a good book to help you with your task. I recommend this book very highly.

Learn more about this author, Cyn Bagley.
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