Let's talk Spices and Seasoning

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I'm sure you recognise the above ingredients in the photo that we culturally use to bring out the beautiful rich flavours of our dishes. These and many others are typically found in our kitchen cupboards ready to lavish on our meat, fish and in our meals to bring out our african and caribbean flavours we love so much.

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Did you know?

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Many of the ready mixed seasoning that we purchase in store contain a high level of sodium i.e. SALT. We only need a teaspoon of salt to meet our recommended sodium intake per day, however most food we buy especially food which is processed contains extra salt for flavour and to increase shelf life. Culturally we use a lot of spice in our food, but because of the high sodium content, could it be contributing to poor health? Too much salt in our diet will increase the risk of developing Hypertension (high blood pressure) which then can lead to more serious illness. If you already suffer from high blood pressure then watching your salt intake is essential in reversing this. To reduce the amount of sodium in our meals try to:

 

• Use a little less seasoning whilst preparing food, especially if the spices you are using have a high sodium content.

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• Increase items like, paprika, cayenne pepper, tabasco, turmeric and cumin to enhance flavour as these contain less salt.

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• Make your own seasoning packed with more of the spices mentioned above.

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• Slowly reducing the amount of seasoning can help you to develop more sensitivity to salty food especially if you know have a palate for full rich flavours.