Feelin’ salty! Embrace the salty flavor to enhance your health this winter season.

In Chinese medicine, there are five elements, and each element has a flavor associated with it. The winter season, correlated with the water element, focuses on the salty flavor. This flavor is cooling, moistening, and detoxifying to the body. 

In small doses, the salty flavor supports kidney and bladder function, promotes elimination of fluids, keeps the tissues hydrated, reduces phlegm, and calms the mind.

Salty foods include miso, sea salt, seaweed, kelp, brined vegetables, umeboshi plums, tamari, and seafood. 

A little bit goes a long way with the salty flavor. The Standard American Diet is high in processed salt, so it’s easy to consume too much. Try incorporating small amounts of whole food sources of salt (like the ones listed above) into your meals, to feel your best this season.