Salt

One of the five fundamental flavors of the human palate, salt is a chemical compound that is essential to the proper functioning of the human body. The balance between salt and water determines the way our body metabolizes proteins and carbohydrates and it is essential to the functioning of our central nervous system. The connection, however, between salt (sodium) and heart disease (as well as hypertension) seems at times to contradict our physiological need for salt. While it is true that the fast-food and pre-prepared food industries hide excessive amounts of sodium in everything from hamburger buns to ice cream, the salt used for seasoning in most “from scratch” cuisine is acceptable–not to mention crucial in terms of flavor!