• Catoblepas@piefed.blahaj.zone
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          4 days ago

          That should technically work as well, since sugar also draws water out. It’s also a common tip in those recipes that use quick ‘caramelized’ onions, since it also browns faster than real caramelized onions. If you’re wanting to lower your sugar intake and aren’t worried about upping your salt (no high blood pressure, kidney problems, etc) then salt probably works better for drawing out moisture and getting cooked onions. But if you’re wanting the caramelized onion taste the trade off will be longer saute time to actually caramelize the sugars in the onion.

    • Dave@lemmy.nz
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      5 days ago

      Honestly, salt is my secret ingredient. Way more than anyone else is brave enough to put in, but it makes things delicious.

        • Dave@lemmy.nz
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          3 days ago

          I’d be curious to know how much salt you actually end up eating. It’s all fine to say no more than 5 grams, but how do you go about working out how much you actually had?

          E.g. I cook pasta with heaps of salt in the water, salty like the sea, but the vast majority of the salt goes down the drain when the pasta is strained.

          • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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            3 days ago

            Of course, unless you’re being terribly precise, you don’t know very accurately.

            Though, with the exception of pasta water, you can keep track via number of teaspoons as an approximation, or if you have precise scales tare off your container to see how much you’re using.

            Packaged foods are much easier.

            I personally just try to keep it minimal while keeping the food taste nice. I don’t measure my salt.

            I’m not saying change your habits, just be aware that excessive salt can he unhealthy!

            • Dave@lemmy.nz
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              2 days ago

              Well aware that excessive salt can be unhealthy 😅. I don’t even track what I eat too closely. I might make a big dish of lasagne, maybe the meat has 3 or 4 teaspoons of salt, then the pasta has some, the sauce has some, I might also throw in some soy sauce, the cheese has some, etc. Then out of this giant dish, I serve up one scoop, throw on some tomato sauce that has salt in it, and serve alongside vegetables that have their own salt content depending on how they were cooked.

              I honestly have no idea if I eat 2, 5, or 15 teaspoons of salt a day 😆

              • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                I might make a big dish of lasagne, maybe the meat has 3 or 4 teaspoons of salt,

                Seems fine to me. That’s about 4 daily doses of salt, depending how many servings that is, probably totally fine. This isn’t medical advice haha

                In any case, at least you’re having something delicious 😁

                • Dave@lemmy.nz
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                  2 days ago

                  Heaps of servings in the dish, but only one meal haha.

                  I once read it can be hard to put as much salt in your home cooked meals as what you get in fast food or processed food. And if you’re shaking the salt on top, it may be negligible no matter how much you put on.

      • Toes♀@ani.social
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        5 days ago

        I started cooking for elderly people and I’m not allowed to use salt at all. But I’ll see them dumping salt on it at the table.

      • ssillyssadass@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Growing up my mom would tend to oversalt the food she cooked, which lead to me thinking most normal food tastes bland without more salt

        • Dave@lemmy.nz
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          5 days ago

          Who told you she over salted it, the people making the bland food? 😅

      • Bruhh@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Yup. It’s always what one considers too much plus one more shake to season perfectly…but that still doesn’t stop me from under seasoning when cooking new dishes. Can always salt later.

        • Dave@lemmy.nz
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          5 days ago

          Taste as you go!

          Though I have definitely been caught out by salting it perfectly then it reduces and is then too salty.