Does CL use too much salt in their recipes?

[Varaile]

A friend and I were discussing salt in our diets/recipes.

She felt for a healthy lifestyle cooking magazine such as CL, CL uses way too much salt in their recipes and she is always leaving it out or adding a tich at the end of cooking.

My opinion was it really depended on the recipe, but overall they do an okay job.

We were curious, what do you folks think? :confused:

[Kay Henderson]

I think they're pretty reasonable. Certainly someone on a super-low fat diet would need to modify.

[gabbyh]

I didn't vote, because I never actually look at the amount of sodium in the CL recipes...only because I don't EVER add salt to anything...but now that you've mentioned it...I'll have a look...

I've really become aware of sodium in things I purchase, however...and I am starting to not buys things I normally would have because of the large amount of sodium...

QUESTION:

How much does the amount of salt really affect the taste of the recipes?

Good thread...

~Gail H.

[masimmons]

I'm a salt person, but my husband is definitely not. Neither of us think the CL recipes have too much salt (at least for us.)

[sneezles]

Like Gail, I didn't vote because my answer isn't a choice. I don't use a lot of salt while cooking but add it when the recipe calls for it because it is a mineral that needs to break down to do it's jobs. The longer it's in there the better results, JMHO. When a recipe has an ingredient that has sodium in it like soy sauce then I don't use additional salt. The salt shaker is on the table but the house rule is "Taste first, salt second"

[valchemist]

I voted no.

I think a healthy lifestyle can include moderate amounts of salt, assuming you don't have any contraindications.

I think the amount of salt you include in recipes is a very personal thing.

for me, sodium intake isn't an issue. I can eat higher amounts of salt without it affecting me. and I do like saltiness.

others have to watch their sodium intake carefully. still others don't like the taste of recipes with a moderate/high level of saltiness. in those cases, it is easy to just adjust the amount of salt to suit your needs.

[funnybone]

I'm not a salter either, so I didn't vote. I've seen people sprinkle more salt on their food than I would use in a year. It's all what you are used to.

[wallycat]

Depends on what I make....
sometimes I add less, other times I follow the recipe.

Not much help here am I :rolleyes:

[Gail]

I can't answer that either.

I'm very light-handed with salt, so I never pay attention to what the recipe says.

[Peggy]

I voted sometimes because there have been many recipes that I felt were too salty. Often I just omit the salt entirely for their recipes, sometimes I cut it in half. I agree that a liking of salt is a very personal preference. We don't like a lot of salt but others do. I guess it would be most accurate to say that CL (and most other cookbooks) put more salt in their recipes than I like for my own tastes. Therefore, I just omit that part of the recipe.

Peggy

[alicerh]

I use very little salt and what I do add is after tasting and adjusting. So I don't know if they use too much. I do feel they use too little of most seasonings. I almost always nearly double the herbs and spices in CL recipes. Am I the only one who thinks they underseason?
Alice

[Gail]

Originally posted by alicerh
I use very little salt and what I do add is after tasting and adjusting. So I don't know if they use too much. I do feel they use too little of most seasonings. I almost always nearly double the herbs and spices in CL recipes. Am I the only one who thinks they underseason?
Alice

No, Alice.

Someone ran a poll on seasonings and quite a few people agree with you (though some went the other direction and thought it was too MUCH seasonings-- exactly why I'd assume CL decided to take the middle road.)

[dlaboriel]

I've never noticed too much salt. As Valchemist said, salt is a personal issue. If you find that a recipe, has too much salt, then modify the amount to suit your health needs.

[sarah2397]

This made me chuckle a few weeks ago... I forget what CL recipe I was making, but it called for low sodium soy sauce and then what I perceived to be a ridiculously large amount of salt!

I don't think I used as much as they said and I'll do that sometimes if I don't think it's integral to the recipe.

[pbchipses]

I voted no.

I usually just add the amount of salt called for in the recipes, and it tastes fine to me. I use regular soy sauce, so that would definitely push the sodium content up on some recipes!

[semmens]

I find that I *add* salt to all the recipes (I don't make dessets from CL tho). As others have said, some of us just like salt and have no problems with it. I always figured CL used less salt than would really taste best to make their recipe numbers look "better".

Laura

[Leisa M]

I put in the salt during the cooking, but not at the table. So CL doesn't add too much salt for me. Most times DH doesn't add salt to his food either. So I voted No.

[BetsyS]

I'm with Laura--I usually up the salt a little bit in CL recipes.

[meslgh]

I never really noticed a problem with CL recipes tasting too salty. However, your friend is talking about something else -- is the amount of salt CL uses healthy? I don't really pay attention to sodium when I'm looking at nutritional information. However, for reference, more than 4000 mg of sodium a day is getting up there, and less than 2000 mg of sodium a day is pretty low. If you eat any prepared foods, the sodium adds up pretty quickly.

[schuh]

I am sensitive to the taste of salt -- there are many things I find to be too salty for me. But I can't think of any recipes from CL that have been too salty for me.

Now, if someone is a heart patient there may be recipes that have too much salt. But if CL were to try to satisfy everyone's dietary needs, the recipes would have to have:
- low salt (for heart patients)
- low carbs (for diabetics/Atkins dieters)
- no meat/poultry/fish (for vegetarians)
- low fat (for many of us)

You get the picture -- it wouldn't leave a whole lot. I think CL's moderate (as opposed to overly strict) view of healthy eating is about right.

[Love to Run]

I ALWAYS add at least the amount of salt the recipe calls for and even if the recipe calls for reduced-sodium chicken broth or tomatoes I use the regular version. We typically add salt at the table, too. If a recipe doesn't mention salt and pepper, I typically add some. I think salt gives all the flavors more depth and improves the dish.

I don't have any health issues that suggest I should reduce sodium so I'll continue using salt for the time being.

Carole

[gertdog]

I sometimes find that CL recipes are underseasoned for my taste, so I add additional herbs and spices and sometimes salt. I usually start with what seems like a reasonable amount to me, then I taste and adjust seasonings at the end of cooking.

That said, I don't buy reduced-sodium soy sauce, broth, tomatoes, etc. and I don't really pay attention to the sodium counts in the recipes, so from a health perspective I don't have an opinion on whether the recipes are too salty.

[Valerie226]

I find salt level fine in most things. I think breads tend to be light on salt but I don't use butter/other spread so the bread needs to stand on its own. I don't like things very salty so with any doubts I err on the light side & add a little at the end if it's flat. I don't bother with reduced salt soy sauce or broth. I use the regular & don't add other salt until I taste test.
I think other seasoning is mild but it's easier to pep things up rather than tone down too much seasoning. I think a professional test kitchen may go thru spices etc at a high rate and consequently may be using very fresh things, whereas regular kitchen cooks may be using spices that are older and not as zippy.

[Shirley Panek]

Originally posted by meslgh
I never really noticed a problem with CL recipes tasting too salty. However, your friend is talking about something else -- is the amount of salt CL uses healthy? I don't really pay attention to sodium when I'm looking at nutritional information. However, for reference, more than 4000 mg of sodium a day is getting up there, and less than 2000 mg of sodium a day is pretty low. If you eat any prepared foods, the sodium adds up pretty quickly.

Oh, I voted "no", but after reading meslgh's post, I wonder if I misread the question. I don't actually take a look at the nutritional info (:o), so can't say for certain whether it's too much from a health-issue standpoint. But agree with the other posts, that it does depend on the health of the individual preparing the recipe. Obviously for those who have to watch their sodium-intake (those with high blood pressure), they may have to watch their intake.

I use low-sodium soy sauce, broth, and generally use an easy hand with salt since high blood pressure runs in my family, although I don't have high blood pressure.

[LaraW]

I voted no, but then I do tend to be pretty light handed with the salt. I try to buy reduced sodium products whenever possible, because high blood pressure runs in DH's family, so he is concerned about it.

I generally can't even taste the salt when I put it in recipes, so I don't worry too much if I forget it.

[ShanaG]

Another no. I often adjust seasonings in CL recipes, but never salt.

[oskie]

It's not something I ever noticed before (which I guess puts me with the "no"s).

One thing I do like, however, is by having such a large number of quick and easy recipes to prepare from Cooking Light, I'm much less inclined to pick up processed, already prepared food. From that standpoint, even if the CL recipe is a little high in sodium, I still had less than I would have from a boxed dinner or something like that.

[cooksrhot]

Originally posted by gertdog
I sometimes find that CL recipes are underseasoned for my taste, so I add additional herbs and spices and sometimes salt.

Amen to that, sister! I almost always add more salt that CL recipes call for. I can't stand adding salt at the table because then the food just tastes salty, but not seasoned. I add more salt when cooking, so we don't have to add it at the table. (Another reason I don't do it at the table is because then my kids think they need salt too!)

[ksrb]

I think CL's salt levels are okay, considering the magazine has to appeal to a wide range of people. I love salt, a lot, and generally put a little more in than called for, BUT this is mostly because I use kosher salt and read in a recent issue of Cook's Illustrated that kosher is less salty, by volume, than table salt (because it is "fluffier"). Am assuming CL is usually referring to normal table salt, unless otherwise specified.

Sometimes I use that expensive, snooty French salt, gathered on the coast of Brittany. It's kind of grey, chunky, and very flavorful. I have tons of this stuff---every time a friend comes to visit from France they seem to bring salt as a gift.

That said, I wish CL would do an article on low-salt recipes, only because my father has recently been diagnosed with congestive heart failure and he is supposed to be sticking to fewer than 2000mg a day. Once you start looking at the sodium content of foods, you will be driven crazy. It is everywhere. Not just in industrial foods, but even in natural ingredients, and it adds up fast, believe you me.

Love,
K

[Leanne]

I never add salt when a recipe calls for it unless it is a baked good. I will only salt at the table & normally that doesn't even happen. DH salts everything like a madman, however.

[yorkshirepud]

Personally, I don't typically measure my salt out. I have a salt pig on my stove and I just season as I go.

I will measure salt however for say baked goods, breads, rubs etc etc.

[Kayaksoup]

i never pay attention to the salt in recipes. I don't like to salt much, so I use my own judgement

[granolagirl]

Well, I don't add the called for salt in any recipes, so I'm already cutting out the salt there. I flavor the food with herbs, rather than salt.

Looking at some of CL's recipes, I think some of them do have too much salt and/or sodium. I think CL does a great job of coming up with lighter versions of food, but I don't think they do a great job of watching the sodium content. I find that interesting--with the millions of peope with high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.