Advice from a Chef: Adding Flavour to Food Without Adding Sodium
Adding sodium to our foods is something we have gotten very used to, but too much sodium in our diets can lead to serious health problems. The relationship between sodium and flavour have become linked, which doesn’t have to be true. Here are some ways we can still add flavour while cutting back on sodium.
Cooking techniques to enhance flavour of food simply:
- Roasting. It’s a great way to naturally enhance the flavour of vegetables. Try using your own tomatoes and simmering them slowly with garlic, basil, and olive oil.
- Deglazing. Cooking dried spices first with onion, garlic, and olive oil is a way to release the flavour in the spices. When the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add a small amount of liquid and cook over low heat to remove all spices from the pan. Add this liquid to your dish to retain as much flavour as possible.
- Marinating. It both tenderizes meat and infuses flavour. Creating little slices along the surface of your meat will allow the flavours to penetrate the meat fully.
More flavour tips:
- Grow your own herbs – Indoor herb gardens can thrive in a small amount of space in the winter.Growing your own herbs will add tons of flavour to your dishes, and you can just snip off small pieces at once.
- Freeze herbs in ice cubes – Cut herbs and place them in ice cube trays. Fill with water and once frozen, keep in a freezer bag. Label your herb-cubes and you will have ready to go herbs to throw into soups, stews and dishes all year long!
- Try flavoured oils and vinegars – Certain stores sell flavoured oils and vinegars. This is a sodium-free way to add creative flavour combinations to your dishes.
Next time you are reaching for the salt to add to your foods, try these tips first to cut back on your sodium intake.
