Our seasoning of choice is usually salt, but as mentioned in a previous post, having too much salt may lead to serious health problems. So as part of keeping our bodies well and healthy, we need to keep an eye on our salt intake. Also less healthy foods are often high salt foods too, which means healthy eating goes hand-in-hand with low-salt eating.

Food tastes better when it’s seasoned as this brings out many of the flavours and we all love great tasting food.

So, I thought it might be helpful to look at other ways to season and boost the flavour of foods, without using salt.

For Rice:
Try paprika, coriander, saffron, chives, onion, red, yellow or green peppers and peppadews.

For Pasta:
Try black pepper, garlic, oregano, basil or Italian parsley.

For Potatoes:
Black pepper, nutmeg, parsley, paprika, spring onion, chives, dill, low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or yoghurt

Salad and Vegetables:
Black pepper, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, balsamic reduction, low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or yoghurt.

Green Vegetables:
Lemon juice, mint, black pepper, roasted nuts and parsley.

Fish:
Lemon juice, fennel, bay leaf, dill, fennel, parsley, tarragon, white or black pepper, white wine, tomato and onion.

Chicken:
Try a spot of garlic, ginger, apricots, citrus fruits, basil, dill, fennel, marjoram, mint, oregano, paprika, chilli, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, black or white pepper, white or red wine or lemon juice. For more ways with chicken, click here.

Ostrich:
Balsamic reduction, coriander, onion, pineapple, tomato, quince jelly.

Beef:
To add flavour to beef, try some red wine, balsamic, black pepper, horseradish, mustard, tomato or peppadews. Or try one of our cancer-busting marinades.

Lamb:
Mint, oregano, thyme, aniseed, basil, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and rosemary.

Pork:
Sage, thyme, pineapple, apple, ginger, lime, orange, cider, coriander and thyme.

Add fresh herbs towards the end of the cooking over a mild heat, or they may get burnt which will give a bitter taste.