When trying to lose weight, most of the emphasis is focused on the foods we eat and exercise. But, what about food seasonings and spices that go on the food? Seasonings and spices help bring out or complement the flavor of foods. Most are low calorie, so they can’t be bad for you, right? Not all seasonings and spices are created equal. There are mixtures that are high in sodium and packed with fillers. Specifically, seasoning salt is one spice mixture to avoid if you want to keep your metabolism going.
Seasoning salt contains a lot of sodium. It’s salt, that should be a given, right? If you are adding it without adding additional table salt, theoretically that’s fine. Unfortunately, many processed foods already have way more sodium than your body needs. According to the FDA, most dietary sodium (over 70%) comes from eating packaged and prepared foods. Adding more salt on top of that pushes your daily sodium intake way past the daily recommended amount.
Your body needs some sodium in order to transport water in your body efficiently. However, too much sodium will lead to bloating and ruin your weight loss endeavors as your body will hold on to water weight.
Also, many seasoning salts have fillers such as artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives, and anti-caking agents. If your salt is mixed with herbs or other spices, chances are it’s also been irradiated or fumigated to kill off bacteria and foodborne bacteria.
The good news is, making your seasoning salt isn’t hard. Start with a high-quality salt (not table salt) and organic spices. Make your own custom mix and use it sparingly when you cook. Just because it’s organic, doesn’t mean your body needs more salt than recommended amount. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day and an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults.
