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| Salt Substitute Can Be Dangerous To Your Health! | |
© By Lena Sanchez
Salt substitutes depend on potassium to replace the salty flavor
of salt therefore can overload the system when taking certain
medications!
For instance a man taking aldactone(spironolactone) and lasix
(furosemide) was admitted to the hospital in Madison WI. He
was lethargic, weak and with labored breathing. His blood
pressure was dangerously low and his pulse was all of 12 to
15 beats per minute. The ECG revealed him to be on the
verge of cardiac arrest. His serum potassium level was
dangerously high at 7.8. The doctors were totally puzzled
until his wife revealed he had started to use a salt substitute
several days earlier.
Sodium is supposed to be the culprit that is dangerous in
salt, of course I differ with that, but there are dangerous
things in regular table salt that endangers health also.
Regular table salt has aluminum among other things used
in the extraction process of salt, that are dangerous. I for
one believe that they have this all wrong, it's not the
sodium but the contaminants in commercial table salt,
but no data to back it up, as there hasn't been studies
geared to the contaminants in regular table salt.
Sorry that I got off on that tangent. Back to salt substitutes
Salt substitutes are supposed to be free of sodium. Is that true?
Some do and some don't but all have potassium chloride,
which is dangerous to the very ones who seem to be consuming
it for health reasons. Salt free diets are usually recommended to
those who have hypertension and/or heart problems. Making
this dangerous to the very ones who are taking heart and
hypertension medications in conjunction with the salt substitute.
Salt substitutes are supposed to be sodium free. But are they?
Listed below are the top salt substitutes and the amounts
of potassium and sodium in each.
*No Salt -- 1/4 tsp.: 650 mg. Potassium/0 mg. sodium
*Morton's Lite Salt -- 1/4 tsp.: 350 mg. Potassium/290 mg. sodium
*Morton's Salt Substitute -- 1/4 tsp.: 610 mg. Potassium/
0 mg. sodium
*Cardia Salt Alternative -- 1/4 tsp.: 180 mg. Potassium/
270 mg. Sodium
As you can see Potassium chloride is a common ingredient in
salt substitutes. Too much potassium can be harmful if you
have kidney problems or you're taking certain medications
to treat high blood pressure or heart failure. Potassium-sparing
diuretic drugs causes your kidneys to retain potassium. If
you take a potassium-sparing diuretic and use a salt
substitute containing potassium, too much potassium can
build up in your body. Possible side effects include
potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disturbances
and even death.
If you wish to use a salt substitute make your own!
Savory Salt Substitute
1 tbsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. celery seeds
1 tbsp. onion powder
2 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. powdered orange peel
1 1/2 tsp. arrowroot
1 1/2 tsp. sugar or sugar substitute
3/4 tsp. sour salt (powdered citric acid)
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crumbled
1/4 tsp. plus a pinch of powdered lemon peel
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Place all the ingredients in a small electric coffee grinder,
spice grinder or blender.
Grind for 10 seconds or until the mixture is fine.
Insert a funnel in the top of a glass salt shaker, pour the
mixture into it and tap the funnel lightly to fill the shaker.
Cover the rest of the mixture tightly and store it in a cool,
dark, dry place.
Makes about 1/2 cup.
From Reader's Digest "Great Recipes for Good Health,"
www.rd.com
Nutrition per teaspoon: 6 calories, no fat, no cholesterol,
1 g complex carbohydrates, 1 mg natural sodium.
I use sea salt, no aluminum or contaminants as it is simply
salt dried and ground as it comes from the sea. Same flavor
results in your taste buds but without the contaminates from
extraction process as in regular salt.
Be healthy and wise at the same time.
Lena
*** Lena Sanchez Author of "Handbook Of Herbs
To Health & Other Secrets," "Antibiotic Alternatives To
Preventing Mega Bacteria," & "Dangers & Secrets Doctors
Refuse To Tell You." Found online at
http://www.antibiotic-alternatives.com and
Editor of "Natural Environmental Health Facts & Your
Home Business Coach" ezine subscribe at
http://www.envirodocs.com/newsletter.htm
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