Baked goods are a sneaky hiding place for extra salt—they just don’t taste salty. Don’t let them fool you. Manufacturers add plenty of salt and sodium preservatives to keep baked goods from spoiling.

Baking soda and baking powder also add to the sodium content of quick breads. A teaspoon of salt has about 2,300 milligrams of sodium, while a teaspoon of baking soda has nearly 1,600 milligrams. Baking powder comes in at about 500 milligrams per teaspoon. If you check many recipes, you’ll see they contain all three, plus salted butter or margarine. It’s a quadruple salt whammy!

To keep your blood pressure under control and your kidneys healthy, we need a tasty diet much lower in salt than what a typical American eats. So, how can we get the salt out of baked goods?

There are lots of ways. We are lucky here in Seattle to be neighbors of Ener-G Foods. This company has great low-sodium products, including low-sodium baking powder and baking soda. You can order them online at www.ener-g.com, or call 206-767-3928. Most grocery stores that carry gluten-free products also carry these products.

Switching to unsalted butter when you bake can make a big difference in the sodium content of treats as well.

To save time, you can mix up your own low-sodium baking mix much like Bisquick or Krusteaz. Whip up a “Master Mix” ahead of time, keep it in a container, and make low-sodium baked goods at the drop of a hat. This recipe has about 270 milligrams of sodium per dry cup, compared to Bisquick’s 1,500 milligrams.

So, the next time you are hankering for homemade pancakes, banana or zucchini bread, or orange muffins, just whip out your Master Mix. In about half an hour, you and your family will have truly wholesome treats. For more Master Mix recipes, visit Northwest Kidney Centers’ website at www.nwkidney.org.

Master Mix
8 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 ½ cups instant nonfat milk powder
2 ¼ cups cubed margarine or shortening

Sift together flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and milk powder. Cut in shortening/margarine with a pastry blender until evenly distributed. Store in a large, airtight container in a cool, dry place. Use within 10-12 weeks.

Nutrition information: Sodium content per cup equals 270 milligrams.

Pancakes from Master Mix
1 1/2 cups Master Mix
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

In a large bowl mix together egg and water. Add Master Mix and stir until blended. Adjust water as needed to make medium thick batter. Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil. Pour small amount of batter into skillet to form small pancakes. Cook until batter surface forms small bubbles. Turn pancakes over with a spatula and continue cooking on other side. Makes about 8 four-inch pancakes. Serving size is 2 pancakes.

Nutrition information: Calories: 265; Fat: 11 g; Protein: 7 g; Carbohydrates: 34g; Sodium: 200 mg

Katy G. Wilkens is a registered dietitian and department head at Northwest Kidney Centers. She has a Master of Science degree in nutritional sciences from the University of Washington.