As is well known, reducing salt intake is highly beneficial for health. However, for people who prefer strongly flavored food, especially those in northern China, dishes without sufficient saltiness can be difficult to swallow. How can one reduce salt without compromising the salty taste?
In response, Dr. Bao Jiansong, a nutrition expert, offers some advice based on his experience: When cooking, you can use seasonings like soy sauce, bean paste, or sesame paste to add flavor, or use spices such as scallions, ginger, and garlic to enhance the taste. The salt content in soy sauce and bean paste is much lower than using salt alone, and the dishes made this way often taste better. The daily diet in northern China is often savory and aromatic; one can adjust the palate by replacing saltiness with sweet, sour, or spicy flavors. For example, skillfully using sucrose to cook sweet and sour dishes, or using vinegar to toss cold salads, can not only compensate for the lack of saltiness but also stimulate the appetite. Fruits with natural acidity, such as lemons, oranges, and tomatoes, can also be used. You can leverage the strong flavors of vegetables themselves, like tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms, to enhance milder-tasting foods, as in scrambled eggs with tomatoes.
Use less salt for green vegetables, otherwise they are prone to release water, leading to the loss of water-soluble vitamins. Add salt just before the dish is done; this way, the salt won't seep into the vegetables but will remain evenly distributed on the surface, reducing sodium intake. Alternatively, sprinkling salt directly on the food can strongly stimulate the taste buds on the tongue, which can help awaken the appetite. For fresh fish, cooking methods like steaming or oil immersion, which use less oil and salt, are recommended. Meats can also be prepared into dishes like garlic minced pork or spicy numbing pork, which improves the flavor while reducing salt intake. Many people have a habit of adding salt and MSG first, and then adding extra soy sauce and other sauces when cooking, which can easily lead to excessive sodium intake. It is recommended to use chicken essence and chicken powder for home-cooked meals. This not only makes the dish more savory but also utilizes the natural saltiness of the ingredients to replace some of the sodium salt, allowing for a reduction in sodium use and thereby improving the nutritional value of the dish.