Salt is an essential part of a balanced diet and plays a key role in how our bodies function. It influences blood pressure, fluid balance, bone health, and blood sugar regulation—all of which can fluctuate during peri- and post-menopause.
As part of a holistic approach to menopause symptoms, we might recommend adjusting salt intake for those experiencing high blood pressure, edema, bloating, or osteoporosis.
Choosing high-quality sources (like sea salt or Himalayan salt), eating more fresh, whole foods over processed options, and finding delicious substitutes can help balance salt intake and boost other essential nutrients like iodine, B-vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and more!
When I had my own herb product business, Dancing Violet Botanicals, I used to make and package Salty Dog – a salt substitute. It was one of my client’s favorite recipes! Now with a busy clinical, teaching and mentoring schedule I don’t have time to develop and produce products. When I discontinued making the product, I taught people how to make the recipe. And now I am sharing with you. You can purchase all the ingredients from Mountain Rose Herbs or local health food stores.
Salty Dog Salt Substitute
5 part Nutritional yeast
3 part Kelp powder
2.5 part lightly roasted Sesame seed, ground
2 part lightly roasted Milk thistle seed, ground
2 part Garlic, powder
1 part Nettles, powder
A part is whatever you want it to be, i.e. 1 part = 1 Tblsp or 1 part = 1 tsp. It depends on how big of a batch you want to make.
To roast seeds, spread a thin layer on cookie tray and roast in oven at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Grind seeds and nettles in coffee grinder or mortar and pestle. Blend all ingredients together. Store in airtight jar.
My favorite use for Salty dog is on air popped organic (nonGMO) popcorn, with olive oil. Spray olive oil on popcorn using a refillable sprayer, try Misto Stainless Steel Olive Oil Sprayer. Then sprinkle with salty dog. Enjoy!
Benefits
Nutritional yeast – is derived from a single celled organism, Saccharomyces cerevisia, grown on molasses. It is deactived, dried and powdered. Nutritional Yeast is rich in B vitamins, and offers a small amount of B12 and protein from a vegetarian source.
Kelp – Mineral rich, iodine rich, excellent thyroid supportive food. Make sure to buy good quality, like Maine Coast or from Island Herbs. Kelp is a good replacement for table salt due to the nice balance of sodium and potassium.
Sesame Seed – Rich in calcium, magnesium and zinc for muscle, bone, immune health to name a few, phytosterols to help lower cholesterol. Adds a nice nutty flavor to the mix
Milk thistle – An excellent herbal medicine for supporting optimal liver function, bile output, supporting blood sugar regulation and detoxification.
Garlic – Excellent flavor option, rich in sulfur compounds, in larger quantities supports heart health, blood pressure, detoxification and joint health.
Nettles – Nettles is a great mineral rich weed, food and medicine. It does sting, but not in the dried, cooked or pureed form. Rich in Vitamin K, minerals, protein and silica, I like to call it “spinach on steroids.”
Comments