You’ve heard it before – we are all eating too much salt. Perhaps you’ve even taken the healthy high road and tried low-sodium salt. Yuck is right. One Israeli company thinks it now has the answer to this huge health issue. Salt of the Earth, Israel’s main salt manufacturer, has come up with a new version of our staple ingredient, which they are calling “Umamix.” This salt alternative, which is currently in liquid form only, is made of natural extracts, vegetable concentrates, and a little Red Sea salt. And most importantly, it tastes good! According to the company, a can of tuna contains 350 to 450 milligrams of sodium, but a can that contains Umamix has 29 percent less sodium – but the same flavor! The company says that in other foods the reduction is even greater. For example, a hamburger used 45 percent less sodium when mixed with Umamix instead of salt. That’s almost half the sodium content. Salt of the Earth is currently collaborating with several organizations, such as General Mills and Israeli hospitals and bakeries, to bring Umamix to the market. For now, the condiment isn’t available to consumers directly. Here’s hoping that we see it on store shelves one day soon.
For more about why we salt our offerings, check out Rabbi Dovid Kaplan's shiur: