Potassium or sodium carbonate in snus recipes

[Reynard]

I know this is a bit random, but being a caveman hunter-gatherer (not literally, but in what i consume) when it comes my diet you pick these things up:

We get too much sodium in our diet, and too little potassium. Our ancestors had a potassium to sodium ratio above 5:1. However, recent research suggest that a ratio above 2:1 is enough to prevent high blood pressure. It is estimated that people currently consume a ratio below 1:1, which is pro inflammatory and increases risk of cardiovascular disease.

K-Na Article
Forbes
Livestrong

Your thread caught my eye, based on Sodium and Potassium, and which one to choose :-)

[squeezyjohn]

Hi Vulpes,

Yes that did cross my mind as well as it's availability.

cheers

squeezy

[tattooer601]

Amen to that!

I'm sure many would see what I'm trying to do by growing and processing my own tobacco in to snus and similar as a Right Royal waste of time ... but I'm determined not to smoke tobacco again - unless it's entirely on my terms - and the EU are buggered if they think they can stop me using the one and only method I've found that works.

I do not.
I believe knowledge is power,power to decide, make change...
In our case use a homemade tobacco product that has century's of proof of that fact.
Example of myself.
At the moment I can't work, I have narrowed down the GENERAL uses a smoke flavoring that for some real on makes me sick massive stomack issues.So being in my position I am researching air cured tobacco products sold locally that can be processed into snuff and snus...
These 2 items got me almost off the cigarettes.
I detest smoking a cigarette now....they tasty awful to me.
I'm just getting tired of mint general, so I'm dipping Copenhagen, until I find a source for the above mentioned, or GN sends me the snus from his giveaway BTW praying for.
Anyhow the experiment of making snuff/snus will continue,for personal use.

[voodooman]

great point vulpes. the amount consumed from snus in likely insignificant when compared to the salt in our foods, but it's still a valid point.

[Reynard]

great point vulpes. the amount consumed from snus in likely insignificant when compared to the salt in our foods, but it's still a valid point.

Yeah it's the salt in food that's the main issue, like you say. You're gonna get next to nothing from using snus. Just made me think, the title of the thread lol.

[squeezyjohn]

Exactly - I tend to look at the amount of salt in a snus recipe and get shocked by how much it looks until I realise that each of my 100g trials (containing 4-6g salt) are to make 5 cans of loose snus which for an average user will last 10 days - and you spit the majority of it out at the end of use.

On the other hand - to my shame I have eaten the lion's share of a 100g bag of peanuts today - that contained 3.5g salt and it all went straight in my system. S**t - I feel dirty now.

I do like salt though!

[Reynard]

to my shame I have eaten the lion's share of a 100g bag of peanuts today - that contained 3.5g salt and it all went straight in my system. S**t - I feel dirty now.

Eat a banana/spinach/round lettuce/brussel sprout/flaxseed/radish/courgette smoothie and all will be forgiven! Lol

Or maybe just eat a banana, that's less insane...

[squeezyjohn]

I had brussells sprouts for dinner - I do eat lots of healthy dark greens from the garden. I just eat loads of crap as well.

Are you saying it's the ratios that count more than the amounts?

[Reynard]

I had brussells sprouts for dinner - I do eat lots of healthy dark greens from the garden. I just eat loads of crap as well.

Are you saying it's the ratios that count more than the amounts?

Sodium in and of itself increases the risk of heart disease, but the ratio of K-Na is more important, yes. Sodium raises blood pressure and the risk of chronic hypertension by stiffening arteries and blocking nitric oxide (which relaxes arteries). Potassium counteracts this by activating nitric oxide->relaxes arteries->less hypertension->less risk of stroke/heart disease/bad shit.

The ratio is the key :-)

[squeezyjohn]

Well - an early taste tester of this snus seems to indicate a very good reason why sodium carbonate is usually used instead of potassium!

To my tastebuds - this is a whole lot more bitter than the snus I have made with the same tobacco using sodium carbonate. I will see if it mellows over time, or if it is possible to rescue the batch with flavouring. I seem to remember using the brand LO SALT which has potassium replacing some of the sodium for table salt and that tasted kind of bitter and metallic too.

But for now I am going to be calling this one: test batch 05 "Ear-Wax Rapé" - and I will maybe not be using Chinese Lye Water in the future.

!

[squeezyjohn]

Because of how bitter this turned out - I decided to quickly do a control batch using only the same amount of sodium carbonate in place of the lye. It was completed earlier today and the initial taste test shows that it's far less bitter. It also gave off far less ammonia on adding.

I thought I'd got my snus cooking process down to a shorter 12 to 24h cook, but the bitterness of this plain recipe has knocked me back a bit - if there are any other snus makers (home or commercial) out there who know if a longer cooking time at lower temperatures can reduce the bitterness of the snus I'd be very grateful before I commit much more of my electricity bill to the tests!

Any other tips on getting a rich dark flavour without the bitterness would also be greatly appreciated. I'm aware that both salt and sweetening agents can mask it to some degree. But I am really looking to get a smooth flavour out the other end.

Cheers

Squeezy

[whalen]

Is this with the dark air cured? And are you adding glycerin? Kosher salt?

[The Stig]

I don't know if this has already been brought up Squeezy but, from what I know of the snus making process the tobacco is flash steamed for a short amount of time, at between 60 and 80 degrees Celsius, flavorings and salt are added and then quickly cooled. I don't know the amount of steam pressure or the exact temp of it but, I do know for certain that the tobacco's temp stays below 190 degrees Fahrenheit during this process and that its quick.

Hope this helps. :-)

[whalen]

Using kosher salt eliminates the iodine. Glycerin has a very sweet taste. I would reduce the Sodium Carbonate also. Blending in a small amount of Sweet Virginia leaf helps also. The heat will have quite an effect on the natural sugars. I wish i could tell you about the higher temps, but i would only recommend the low and slow approach.

[GN Tobacco Sweden AB]

Is this with the dark air cured? And are you adding glycerin? Kosher salt?

Kosher salt is important and halal water