Q. Why do so many desserts, such as cookies and cakes, call for salt? Is it necessary?
A. It may be heavy to ideate , but common salt was a prized commodity throughout the world for much of history . It was the principal method acting for preserve intellectual nourishment in the days before refrigeration , and it also was used in religious ceremonial occasion .
In fact , salinity was so valued it spring part of a romish soldier ’s payoff ; it ’s the root of the discussion " salary . " As deep as about 60 years ago , Gandhi ’s march to the sea to harvest salt in rebelliousness of British police force was a major turning point in India ’s quest for independence from Great Britain . So saltiness has as lofty and important a stead in account as it does in culinary practice session .
In cooking , we usually think of salt as a flavoring on its own . But salt is authoritative for other rationality as well : In barm breads , salt verify barm growth so that the dough does n’t come up too tight or too much .
Salt also reacts chemically with water and foods to contribute about specific results . In making mayonnaise , for representative , salt will keep the egg vitellus percipient and avail them thicken . A little saltiness added to caryopsis will keep them from absorb a good deal of the preparation water so that they keep back their shape .
Salt enhances and deepen food ’s other smack , even in sweets such as candy , cookies , and cakes . In desserts , for example , a little common salt tones down the sweetness , keep it from seeming cloying , and enrich the overall savour .
Q. Help! Is there a way to absorb or reduce the salt after I’ve made my soup?
A. Fortunately , there ’s an comfortable mode to fix this problem . Just add a peeled potato to your soup . It should absorb the excess salt and cut the salty taste . If you ’re watching your sodium intake , you could just fling the potato pieces .
Q. I have diabetes and have been placed on a salt-restricted diet. I buy reduced-sodium products, such as crackers. I would like to try reduced-sodium chicken or beef broth but don’t know if I should use them. Please advise.
A. Using reduced - sodium products such as broth is an important step to take . Reduced- or low- sodium broth are one - third to one - half lower in atomic number 11 than unconstipated broths . dispirited - sodium broth must have 140 mg sodium or less per serving .
you could see that using low - Na beef cattle or chicken stock can go a foresighted fashion in help to burn back on salt ( atomic number 11 ) . How much you use also makes a difference .
If you have high blood insistence , you should seek to confine your sodium intake to less than 2,300 atomic number 12 per day – that ’s the amount of Na in 1 teaspoon of salt . However , the lower the secure .
When reading food label , remember the next guideline : depend for foods with 400 mg or less Na per help or with 800 mg or less sodium per public convenience dinner party or entrée .
To learn more about table salt and its habit in food , see :
