Using spices instead of salt helps people eat less sodium
Effects of a behavioral intervention that emphasizes spices and herbs on adherence to recommended sodium intake: results of the SPICE randomized clinical trial.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A behavioral intervention focusing on flavor (spices and herbs) led to a nearly 1,000 mg/day greater reduction in sodium than self-directed efforts.
Most assume reducing salt means eating bland food. This shows enhancing flavor with spices may be more effective than restriction alone — flipping the script on diet advice.
Practical Takeaways
Replace salt with spice blends when cooking to reduce sodium intake sustainably.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
A behavioral intervention focusing on flavor (spices and herbs) led to a nearly 1,000 mg/day greater reduction in sodium than self-directed efforts.
Most assume reducing salt means eating bland food. This shows enhancing flavor with spices may be more effective than restriction alone — flipping the script on diet advice.
Practical Takeaways
Replace salt with spice blends when cooking to reduce sodium intake sustainably.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
Year
2015
Authors
C. Anderson, Laura K Cobb, E. Miller, M. Woodward, A. Hottenstein, Alex R. Chang, M. Mongraw‐Chaffin, Karen White, J. Charleston, Toshiko Tanaka, L. Thomas, L. Appel
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you're an urban adult at high risk for heart problems, using spices and herbs in a guided program might help you cut way back on salt—almost 1,000 mg less per day—compared to trying to do it on your own.
People who learned to use more spices and herbs instead of salt kept eating less sodium for 20 weeks after a short low-salt diet, and their bodies showed much less salt in their urine compared to people who didn’t get the training.
If people at high risk for high blood pressure — like Black adults or those who already have it — get help using more spices and herbs instead of salt, they might cut down on sodium by nearly 1,000 mg a day over 20 weeks, more than if they try to do it on their own.
People around the world tend to eat more salt than doctors recommend—usually 3 to 5 grams a day instead of the suggested 2 to 2.4 grams—because we naturally like the taste of salt, so we keep eating it even when we know we shouldn't.