A study published in the current issue of the journal, Physiology and Behavior, suggests that our predisposition towards high salt diets may actually be a coping mechanism for dealing with stress, depression and anxiety.

When the folks at Health magazine asked organic foodie Mollie Katzen to name some of her favorite products, she cited Fusion Naturally Flavored Sea Salts, a new line of artisan salts.

More than 20 flavors are available, from Thai Ginger and Italian Porcini Mushroom to Green Tea and Spicy Curry.

The salts “add a punch of exotic flavor to roasted or steamed vegetables,” notes Katzen, a best-selling cookbook author who cofounded the famed Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY. “Because they’re so potent, you end up using less salt.”

That’s an important health priority, as Americans consume far too much sodium. Just ask the New Jersey man who’s suing Denny’s over its high-sodium entrees.

I’m looking forward to trying Fusion’s Aged Balsamic Sea Salt, a blend of hand-harvested sea salt and aged Modena balsamic vinegar.

10 Favorite Mollie Katzen Cookbooks

1. The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without
2. The New Moosewood Cookbook
3. The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest
4. Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven
5. Mollie Katzen’s Sunlight Cafe
6. Mollie Katzen’s Recipes: Soups
7. Mollie Katzen’s Recipes: Salads
8. Honest Pretzels (children 8 and older)
9. Salad People and More Real Recipes (preschoolers and older)
10. Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes (preschoolers and older)

The nuts and bolts: Two New Jersey law firms have filed a class-action lawsuit against Denny’s, claiming the sodium content in the restaurant chain’s menu options is endangering public health.

High-sodium diets are associated with hypertension, heart disease and stroke.

True, some of Denny’s most popular meals have shockingly high sodium levels. Moons Over My Hammy (a ham, egg and cheese sandwich) has 2,580 mg sodium, and it’s served with hash browns (650 mg sodium) or grits (840 mg). Denny’s Meat Lover’s Scramble (two eggs with chopped bacon, diced ham, crumbled sausage and Cheddar cheese, served with two bacon strips, two sausage links, hash browns and two pancakes) has an indefensible 5,690 mg sodium.

Plaintiff Nick DeBenedetto, 48, has regularly eaten at Denny’s for many years, and he takes prescription meds to help control his blood pressure. One of his favorite menu items is the Hammy thing—a breakfast platter he “never would have selected” if he’d know its sodium content, he says.

“It’s as if Denny’s is stacking the deck against people like me,” he laments.

Not so fast, Nick. People with hypertension know they’re supposed to watch their sodium intake. What made you think these meals were good for you? Do you take any personal responsibility for your dietary choices?

For its part, Denny’s believes the lawsuit is “frivolous and without merit” and plans to “fight it aggressively in court.” The company also stated: “With hundreds of items on the menu, Denny’s offers a wide variety of choices for consumers with different lifestyles, understanding that many have special dietary needs.”

So, do I side with Denny’s? Absolutely not. The chain aggressively advertises unhealthful meal choices.

The only winners here are the attorneys, whose “healthy” fees turn a public-health problem into a media circus.

Eating a Denny’s Scramble is a personal decision. Eating a healthy organic diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, is a more sensible one. Should DeBenedetto seek monetary damages for choosing the former?

Probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think McDonald’s is vegetables, but after all, those greasy French fries you’re eating started off as fresh potatoes and McDonald’s has announced plans to reduce pesticide use in its American potato suppliers:

McDonald’s has committed to survey its current U.S. potato suppliers; compile a list of best practices in pesticide reduction that will be recommended to the company’s global suppliers; and communicate findings related to best practices to shareholders, and in the company’s annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.

Bard College student Katherine Burstein, a member of the college’s Committee on Investor Responsibility, said: "Through our work with the Responsible Endowments Coalition--which works on responsible investment issues with colleges and universities across the nation--we learned about the measures companies can take to reduce the undesirable effects of pesticide use, and decided to engage McDonald's on the issue.”

McDonald's said in a statement that its U.S. potato suppliers are already working with their growers to "advance sustainable pesticide practices, such as reductions and alternative methods."

Environmental advocates are hailing the effort, saying it will benefit the health of consumers, farm workers and local agricultural communities. The very same people McDonald’s horrible food is slamming with heart disease, obesity, stroke and diabetes.

Okay, pesticides are bad, but McDonald’s has bigger problems, like why their burgers don’t decompose. If you leave a McDonald’s hamburger in your jacket pocket and then check on it a year later, it’ll look exactly the same. No worse for ware.

Via SustainableBusiness News.

Introducing the Haminal! He combines all the qualities of a guinea pig, hamster and a pig, crammed into a can, with no cholesterol, salt or MSG. And at only $15 a piece, I may have to order a 100 of them!

Come on, you know you want one.

Via Serious Eats.

As someone who purchases organic food, you likely read labels carefully and watch your salt intake. The American Medical Association believes you’re on the right track, calling on consumers last week to limit their sodium consumption.

“Cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer of Americans,” says Dr. J. James Rohack, an AMA Board member and practicing cardiologist. “People who reduce dietary sodium intake are taking an important step in preventing future health problems. We hope these recommendations will encourage food manufacturers and restaurants to modify their current practices of adding unhealthy amounts of sodium to their products.”

Excess sodium greatly increases the chance of developing hypertension, heart disease and stroke. Research shows most Americans consume two to three times the amount of sodium that is healthy, with an estimated 75%–80% of daily intake coming from processed and restaurant foods.

“A serving of lasagna in a restaurant can put a diner over their recommended daily sodium allowance in just one meal,” Dr. Rohack says.

The AMA will:

• Urge the Food and Drug Administration to revoke the “generally recognized as safe” status of salt and to develop regulatory measures to limit sodium in processed and restaurant foods
• Call for a minimum 50% reduction in sodium in processed foods, fast food and restaurant meals, to be achieved over the next decade
• Work with appropriate partners to educate consumers about the benefits of long-term, moderate reductions in sodium intake
• Hold discussions with the FDA in an effort to improve labeling so consumers have a better understanding of how much sodium processed foods contain
• Encourage the FDA to develop label markings and warnings for high-sodium foods

Those of us who shop for organic food are usually pretty good about watching our salt intake. I’m certainly not anti-sodium (a main component of salt), as it’s essential to keeping the body functioning, but I tend to watch my salt intake.

Sodium helps transmit nerve impulses, makes muscles work and maintains the proper balance of body fluids. Some of us, however, are sodium-sensitive (swollen ankles and water retention, anyone?). Others suffer from hypertension and need to reduce their sodium intake. But even if you don’t have high blood pressure, limiting sodium as part of a healthy organic diet may decrease your risk of developing future problems.

Our taste for salt is both acquired and reversible. As we use less salt, our preference for it diminishes. The February issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource offers several ideas for controlling sodium intake:

• Eat more fresh foods and fewer processed foods. Fresh foods are naturally low in sodium. Most sodium in the average American’s diet (77%) comes from eating processed and prepared foods, such as preserved meats, canned foods, frozen foods and commercial baked goods.
• Shop for products low in sodium. A low-sodium product contains 140 mg or less of sodium per serving—5% or less of the recommended daily sodium intake.
• Limit use of sodium-rich condiments. About 11% of sodium in the average diet comes from adding salt or condiments (ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, soy sauces) to foods while cooking or eating.
• Use herbs and spices for added flavor. To enhance vegetables, try parsley, basil, chives, ginger, cumin, oregano or lemon. For meats, add bay leaves, peppercorns, ginger, rosemary, sage or even cranberries.