I have only recently taken up cooking, unfortunately I was never taught it when I was younger and never really felt confident or comfortable with it.

The good news is that I can now do reasonably good basic & simple meals although at the moment it's only various types of meat or fish with vegetables. It's getting better and I'm more confident with it now. Unfortunately what I'm making doesn't have an awful lot of taste!

Now can somebody please explain.

Is it OK to cook with salt? I'm only asking in view of the lurid health warnings about salt causing high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. I even avoid it on fish and chips. In fact I read an article a couple of years ago saying that it should not be added to food at all - true or scaremongering?

When it comes to taste, what is the best way to use herbs and spices, ie which ones do you use with meat and which ones with fish? Or doesn't it matter? Which are the most popular ones?

Sorry if this is numpty stuff but we all have to begin somewhere.

Any advice gratefully received..................

Help.........please.........anyone........!

OK, here goes! Basically, a small amount of anything should not do you any harm.
I have cooked with salt all my life and I am still OK (I am in my 60's). Fair enough, I don't add as much as I used to to the food when I am cooking it but I found that if I did not use any salt at all the food was too bland. I have never, ever, added salt at the table. Now, if you already have kidney disease or High Blood Pressure, then obviously you will have been given advice from the doctor as to whether to cut out salt completely or down. Otherwise, a little common sense is all that is required - ie not tablespoons of the stuff, just a small amount (like half a teaspoon) to bring out the flavour of the food. You can always add more if it needs it. I hope that helps.

As for expanding your repertoire - I had no idea even on how to boil an egg when I got married, so I do sympathise. What I did do was to buy a really good cookbook (in my case it was Marguerite Patten) and go on from there. Now, I still use recipes when I am in the mood, but generally you will find that experimenting with different textures and tastes is the only way you will improve your skills.

I'm with you. I find food without salt or seasoning bland. Maybe my tastebuds are shot

I now use Malden Sea Salt. At first I thought it was ponsy and expensive but actually the price isn't that bad for the box and you don't need to use as much. It enhances food but also has it's own flavour unlike generic table salt.

Thanks for that. I know salt isn't rat poison but there are so many health scares these days! I will keep the amount down although I've not been told to avoid salt by my doctor.

As for the rest I'll try some simpler recipes ans see how it goes, I suppose in the end it'll be an individual learning curve.

The "Salt scare" is mostly just that, a scare with very little grounding in evidence. None of the major claims for salt's evils are not supported by the evidence available yet the myth lives on.

It's much like the "you should drink x pints of water a day" myth which continues to do the rounds despite the lack of evidence in favour for it.

There is a pretty good cochrane review which looked into the potential benefits of salt reduction and found that whilst there was a small drop in blood pressure generally, it wasn't nearly enough to be considered a health benefit.

Also dont user processed salt, but get yourself a box of seasalt and use that. I dont even put it in a griinder, just sprinkle between fingers. Tastes so much better.

As a rule if you are using anything processed in your food (be that stockcubes, soy sauce, breadcrumbs, bacon - anything not 'raw') you don't need extra salt as they will already be packed with it - but if you're cooking from scatch with veg / meat a little won't hurt.

Herb knowledege is all about experimentation - certain herbs are staple partners (dill with fish, oregano and thyme with grilled poultry, rosemary with lamb, coriander leaf in chilli etc...), others are random finds - basil works amazingly with all sorts of things, sage is also interesting to play with - just have fun trying stuff out!

I'm with you on the Maldon. I never ever have to season my food at the table anymore. I think the sea salt gives a proper salt flavour and it isn't over processed so you don't need to add more. I love a little bit sprinkled on either side of a halved cherry tomato and pop! into the gob! Perfect straight from the fridge treat

Lots of videos of good recipes at www.videojug.com to try.

I personally only use salt with pasta (I salt the water a teeny bit and also use a dribble of olive oil) and when I cook jacket potatoes. Other than that I don't use salt on anything I cook regurlarly!!

As for spices - next time you do a food shop spend some time reading the labels. Most spices will say on the front of the jar what foods they work best with

I could recommend the BBC Good Food website which has loads of advice and recipes available online for free.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/

I'm with maimou, if all your ingredients are raw, unprocessed ingredients and you aren't adding pre-packaged stocks and sauces then it'll be fine to add some seasoning.

I still like to add salt whilst cooking rice, pasta, potatoes and veg - although, I wouldn't normally add additional salt at the table. If I'm steaming my food, I find it needs less seasoning...

The whole salt is evil thing is really a cowardly way of trying to say to people don't eat ready meals/processed food.

Government wouldn't want to offend the big money earners though so they have to have another strategy and salt is the target.

The problem is of course (as is happening with saturated fat) you replace one thing to get the headlines and end up with a whole bunch of additive-laden processed rubbish that's even worse.

Thanks - I didn't know about this site.

Thats a brilliant site by the way

Certainly agree with salt in pasta. It's awful without salt

The Italians do go a bit crazy with it though. A good shake is enough.

The standard BBC site is also good as is the Good Food Channel site (UKTV Food)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/
http://uktv.co.uk/food/homepage/sid/566

I use Basil & Oregano in Italian tomato based dishes.

Rosemary goes well with Lamb & I always use Tarrogan when i'm roasting chicken.

I am one of the people with kidney disease and high blood pressure, so I have avoided salt for many years.

I use a lot of herbs and spices in my cooking, mainly basil, oregano, rosemary, mint (new potatoes and peas), parsley

And for most cooking I add this stuff instead of salt, also lots of pepper helps

If you are healthy, I think it is ok to use a little salt, but it never hurts to cut down on these things