Have you been diagnosed with high blood pressure, another heart disease, pre-diabetes, or diabetes? If so, your doctor may have told you to cut down or eliminate salt from your diet. Salt adds flavor to foods, but so do other spices and herbs. Try any of these 12 herbs and spices instead of salt when you cook. In addition to making your food taste great, these herbs have health benefits. 12 Herbs and Spices for Cooking Basil (Ocimum basilicum) Basil is an anti-inflammatory,