So now, in the national as well as local press, the conversation continues: should government legislate salt intake for consumers.
Let me start by saying, YES, I agree that American consumers ingest way too much salt. It is obvious from all of the medical studies that the average American consumes way more salt than is healthy.
On a personal note, I realize that I eat way too many potato chips during the course of a week. Recently I cooked for a private group in the television kitchen. My guests were health care professionals. While I was cooking for them, the conversation turned to healthy eating. One of my guests wanted to know how I stayed so trim, with all of the time I spend in the kitchen surrounded by tasty temptations. I explained I generally maintain a healthy diet. My theory is Moderation- not Deprivation. I try not to overdue eating unhealthy foods, but I don’t cut anything out of my diet, I just eat less of those foods or eat them less frequently. One thing I really do love to eat is potato chips. My guests scolded me, saying that potato chips are probably one of the most dangerous snacks to eat, in terms of being unhealthy to eat, because of the high fat and salt content.
I know this, but still eat potato chips. And I love all kinds. As a matter of fact, I pick a style of chip depending on my mood. There’s dozens of different styles and flavors of chips, but they all have one thing in common. Every type of chip I eat is salty. That’s part of what makes them so enjoyable.
I also love to fill my jaw with sunflower seeds while I’m at my son’s baseball games all summer. Often, I’m watching 5-6 games a week while eating a couple of bags of seeds. And yes, I realize that they are loaded with a TREMENDOUS amount of salt!
But these are choices that I make. I don’t drink to excess. I don’t smoke. I don’t add salt to my food at the dinner table. Actually, I don’t HAVE salt on my dinner table. I never salt a dish in a restaurant before I take a bite of the chef’s work.
So, in my book, the politicians should stay out of my kitchen. I’m old enough to decide for myself how much salt is too much. I read labels when making food purchases. I’ve spent over 16 years working in professional kitchens. Enough is enough guys and girls. Let’s have the politicos balance budgets, insure that no child goes hungry in our schools, and remember they work FOR us, not in spite of us.
