I realized I didn’t reply to your point about how low is low enough. I am on a diet that requires me to keep my sodium intake under 2 grams per day.
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http://www.traditionaloven.com/culinary-arts/cooking/table-salt/convert-gram-g-to-tea-spoon-tsp.html
Right. But of course, sodium intake is not just from salt, as sodium naturally occurs in many foods.
Oh, totally. I was just showing just how small an amount you’re dealing with. Here are some alternatives from a reputable source:
It’s a good source, but some of the suggestions have to be regarded cautiously. Many breads that aren’t covered with salt are still pretty high in sodium, for example.
I was thinking more about food ‘in their natural state.’ 
If you don’t have one yet, get a blood pressure monitor. Take your BP often, especially after you eat. Keep track of what you eat and if it sends up your numbers.
Everyone reacts to salt differently and I know for myself, lowering my salt did nothing. Exercise, even just walking, lowers mine the fastest.
Anyway, learn to use tasty herbs. Oregano, cilantro, chiles, try 21 Seasonings from Trader Joes, ground cumin, ginger, fresh basil and lime/lemon juices. Try using citric acid as well. Just add a little to dishes and adjust to taste. You can find it at spice shops.
As you cut salt, you will become more sensitive to it and will find yourself wanting less in the coming weeks or months.
Take care of yourself and stick to it.
I have a good BP monitor, and that’s how I knew I was having a BP crisis almost a month ago. Lowering salt and losing some weight has helped my BP a lot. I never miss salt when I do my own cooking; that’s not an issue.
21 Seasonings - that’s 21 separate products or one product with 21 ingredients?
Trader Joe’s 21-Seasoning Salute is a salt-free blend of herbs and spices. I maintain that there’s a 22nd ingredient: magic! For me, it makes salt completely unnecessary. For example, even though I use very little salt, a hard-cooked egg really needed a sprinkle of salt, until I found TJ21SS.
I never shop at my nearby Trade Joe’s (14th St. between 3rd and 4th) because it’s too crowded, but I’ll check this stuff out.
This is what I mentioned.
Costco also sells a version of No Salt seasoning but it’s not as good and then you’re stuck with the Costco sized mega amount.
Thanks a lot! Some of the ingredients surprise me a bit, but on the strength of your and Erica’s recommendations, I’ll try it out!
If you’re worried about the cayenne, don’t be. Although I have a fairly low capsicum tolerance, I don’t detect any heat in TJ21SS.
I love chili peppers! I lived in Malaysia for 2 years and also love Sichuan, Hunanese, Xi’an-style, Thai, Indian and Mexican food!
Pan, you can easily leave out the belachan and fish sauce. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’s fairly close. My DH is allergic to shellfish, so I can’t use belachan in my home cooking. And you can make many things without those items. There are some pretty decent soy sauce substitute recipes out there too that you can use in lieu of soy sauce so you can still make things like nasi lemak, mee goreng, chicken rice, etc. 
Plus you can go the Indian way and do sabzis (veggies) and things like paneer dishes and chicken curry, etc.
I’ll give that a try, thanks.
Do you add more of anything when you leave out the belacan and budu?
Also, what do you use that tastes like soy sauce but doesn’t have salt in it?
I always stock this 21 seasoning too! It’s really good stuff. Also look at the various spice grinders that are $1.99, several of those are low or no salt
I just saw this review which sounds like a good low salt product
I’m really not missing salt in my home cooking, but the link might help someone who is.
