Kidney Friendly Salt Free Seasonings

With Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), the kidneys may be unable to deal with excessive sodium in the body. This means that it can build up and accumulate. The body may begin to retain water leading to swelling and strain on the heart and blood vessels. With too much salt in our diet this can lead to to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. That is why a sodium reduction is an important strategy to lower blood pressure which in turn reduced the incidence of heart attack and stroke. But remember with CKD it is not a no salt diet, but rather a low sodium diet. And this does not mean it needs to taste bad. So let’s take a look at. some kidney friendly salt free seasonings.

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Facts About Salt

• Salt, also referred to as sodium chloride, is nearly 40% sodium and 60% chloride. It is a mineral found naturally in foods and is a major part of table salt.
• Some salt or sodium is needed for body water balance. It conducts nerve impulses, contracts and relaxes muscles, and maintains balance of water and minerals.
• It plays a role in flavouring food and is used as a binder and stabilizer while being an effective food preservative.
• It is easy to have too much in your diet. Almost 70% of salt consumed comes from packaged and everyday foods such as bread, breakfast cereals, meat products and ready meals. It is especially found in takeaways, restaurants and fast-food outlets.
• In addition to excess sodium in the diet leading to cardiovascular disease, it can also cause calcium losses, some of which may be pulled from bone.
• Finely ground salts are dense, so they often contain more sodium than coarser salts. 
• Sodium content can vary widely among brands, which is where the Nutrition Facts label for exact amounts comes in handy!
• One teaspoon of salt contains about 2300 mg sodium.

Follow A Low Sodium Diet

Humans love for salt is a learned taste that can be reversed. Depending on the individual, it can take from a few weeks up to around 6-8 weeks for your taste buds to get used to consuming food with significantly lower amounts of salt. 

Many note that the longer you follow a low sodium diet, more lower sodium foods will taste palatable compared to higher salt foods which will begin to taste too salty. So it is important to stick with making changes.

Start with reducing sodium slowly and adding in different flavours like those below. Once the adjustment is made, your preference for salty foods will decrease and it will become challenging to enjoy foods like potato chips which will taste way too salty!

Buying Spices

• Consider Buying in Bulk: Some spice shops and specialty grocers allow you to buy spices in bulk, making it easy to get exactly how much you need for your recipe. This also works for spices used regularly so that instead of replacing it every week, buy a large quantity and refill as needed.
• Purchase Similar Spices and Make Mixes: It is easy to make your own spice blends by mixing together your favourite spices for a customized or all-around seasoning mix. This filler will save you big bucks from purchasing specialty spice bends with similar flavourings!

Homemade Salt Free Seasonings

• For optimal preservation, it is advisable to store your salt free seasonings in a pantry or cabinet with a consistent cool temperature, protected from direct sunlight and moisture. 
• To maintain freshness and flavor, it is essential to store all seasonings in airtight containers. Flavours can be affected by light, temperature and humidity.
• In the case of large amounts, you may want to preserve and store them in the freezer. They should also be in airtight containers to prevent air and moisture from entering.

Adding Flavour Without Salt

Sodium (salt) is a mineral found in food. With kidney disease, eating too much salt can cause you to have: high blood pressure, excessive thirst, swelling (edema), and shortness of breath. One way to reduce your sodium intake is to make your meals with fresh ingredients, and to not add salt during cooking or to your food. 

But salt free DOES NOT need to mean flavour free.  Mix the recipes below together and store in a container for later use for some delicious salt free seasonings. 

Before cooking, marinate protein (e.g. chicken, fish, seafood, pork, beef, legumes, tofu, etc.) or vegetables of your choice in these seasonings.

Here are some delicious salt free seasonings:

ITALIAN 2 TSBP oregano, 2 TBSP basil, 1 TBSP rosemary, 1 TBSP thyme, 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 TBSP chili flakes
GREEK 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp basil, 1 tsp black pepper
ALL PURPOSE 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp basil, 1 1/2 tsp parsley, 1 1/2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne pepper
MEXICAN 2 TBSP chili powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 TSBP cumin, 1/2 tsp onion powder
CAJUN 1 TBSP oregano, 1 TBSP paprika, 1 TBSP cayenne pepper, 1 TBSP black pepper, 2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp garlic powder 
CHILI 2 1/2 TBSP chili powder, 1 TBSP cumin, 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 TBSP smoked paprika, 1 TBSP onion powder 
RANCH 2 1/2 TBSP parsley, 2 tsp dill, 2 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 2 1/2 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp dried onion, 1 tsp black pepper 
TACO OR FAJITA 2 TBSP chili powder, 4 tsp cumin, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
CURRY 1 TBSP turmeric, 2 TBSP coriander, 2 TBSP cumin, 2 tsp ginger ground, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp clove ground
VEGETABLE MIX 1 tsp majoram, 1 tsp basil, 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp thyme, 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 TBSP onion powder

This article was written by Neha Dewan, Nutrition Student Volunteer.
This article was reviewed by Emily Campbell, RD CDE MScFN.