Low-Sodium Eating Plan

Maintaining a low-sodium diet can help manage high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, or heart failure. Here are some tips and guidelines to follow:

1. Reading food labels:

– Choose foods with less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

– Avoid foods with 300 mg of sodium or more per serving.

– Multiply the listed sodium amount by the number of servings if you consume more than one serving.

2. Shopping:

– Look for “low-sodium” or “no salt added” products.

– Always check sodium content even if foods are labeled as “unsalted” or “no salt added.”

– Opt for fresh foods over canned, pre-made, or frozen meals.

– Avoid canned, cured, or processed meats.

3. Cooking:

– Prepare more home-cooked meals and limit restaurant, buffet, and fast food.

– Avoid adding salt while cooking; use salt-free seasonings or herbs instead.

– Use plant-based oils like canola, sunflower, or olive oil.

4. Meal planning:

– When eating at a restaurant, ask for less or no salt in your food.

– Avoid dishes labeled as brined, pickled, cured, smoked, or made with soy sauce, miso, or teriyaki sauce.

– Steer clear of foods containing MSG.

5. General information:

– Most people on this plan should limit sodium intake to 1,500–2,000 mg per day.

Foods to Eat:

– Fresh, frozen, or canned fruits (choose no salt added).

– Fresh or frozen vegetables (choose no salt added).

– Low-sodium cereals, crackers, rice, pasta, and breads.

– Fresh or frozen meats, poultry, seafood, fish (no salt added).

– Unsalted nuts, beans, lentils, and canned beans (without added salt).

– Low-sodium or reduced-sodium dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt.

– Use fresh and dried herbs, salt-free seasonings, and low-sodium condiments.

Foods to Avoid:

– Sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, olives, French fries, onion rings, regular canned vegetables.

– Instant hot cereals, seasoned rice or pasta mixes, salted crackers, croutons.

– Salted, canned, smoked, spiced, or pickled meat or fish, bacon, ham, hot dogs, etc.

– Processed cheese, hard cheeses, regular cottage cheese, canned milk, salted butter, etc.

– Regular ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, packaged gravies, etc.

– Salted popcorn, pretzels, chips, canned or dried soups, pizza, frozen entrees, etc.

Remember to consult a dietitian for more personalized advice and a complete list of foods and beverages to eat or avoid. Reducing sodium intake can help improve your overall health and reduce the risk of related conditions. Always follow the advice given by your healthcare provider.