Low Salt Recipes
Low sodium diets are often recommended to help reduce high blood pressure. A common source of sodium in your diet is salt added to foods. A low sodium diet limits the amount of sodium in your diet to no more than 2400 milligrams per day. This is less half the amount of sodium in the average diet.
Low Sodium Nutrition: Food, Recipes and Cooking
You can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet by doing the following:
- Read labels carefully. Look for any form of sodium or salt and choose foods that have less salt.
- Avoid eating fast foods. Fast foods are normally very high in salt, as are many other restaurant foods. When eating at restaurants, choose fish, vegetables or salads.
- Eat at home. It's almost impossible to control the amount of sodium in foods prepared by others.
- Avoid processed foods. Fresh meat, produce, fish are normall low in salt and sodium. Highly processed meals such as frozen dinners and canned soups are often high in sodium.
- Don't add table salt to food.
Sodium Label guidelines set by the FDA
Food labeling has been standardized by the U.S. government's National Labeling and Education Act. Nutrition labels and a list of ingredients are required on most foods. This way it is easier make a selection of healthy low-salt foods and low sodium meals. If you can't tell how much sodium is in a product, ask your doctor or dietitian, to show you how to read food labels and apply the information when selecting foods for your low sodium or reduced sodium diet.
Sodium-free
Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving
Very low-sodium
35 milligrams or less per serving
Low-sodium
140 milligrams or less per serving
Reduced sodium
Usual sodium level is reduced by 25%
Sodium and your Diet
Sodium is a mineral found naturally in many foods. Most people eat far more sodium each day than they really need. Your health care provider may recommend that you limit your sodium intake to less than 2400mg of sodium per day. Following a low-sodium diet can help control high blood pressure hypertension and also help reduce the retention of too much water in the body.
Sodium in Foods
Vegetables
| Food | Serving Size | Sodium mg |
|---|---|---|
| Asparagus | 4 spears | 7 |
| Avocado | one | 20 |
| Beets | one cup | 84 |
| Broccoli | one cup | 24 |
| Carrots | one cup | 50 |
| Celery | 2 stalks | 70 |
| Corn | one cup | 28 |
| Cucumbers | one cup | 2 |
| Eggplant | one cup | 4 |
| Fennel Bulb | one cup | 45 |
| Green Beans | 1/2 cup | 2 |
| Iceburg Lettuce | 2 leafs | 4 |
| Lima Beans | 1 cup | 5 |
| Mushrooms | one cup | 4 |
| Onions | one cup | 6 |
| Peas | 1 cup | 4 |
| Potato | one | 7 |
| Radishes | 5 | 6 |
| Spinach | one cup | 43 |
| Squash | one cup | 8 |
| Tomato | one | 15 |
| White Beans | 1/2 cup | 2 |
| Yams | one | 12 |
Fruits
| Food | Serving Size | Sodium mg |
|---|---|---|
| Apples | one | 1 |
| Apricots | 2 | 1 |
| Banana | one | 1 |
| Blackberries | one cup | 0 |
| Cantaloupe | one cup | 28 |
| Cherries | 1 oz. | 1 |
| Cranberries | 1/2 cup | trace |
| Dates | 5 | 1 |
| Dried Prunes | 5 | 2 |
| Grapes | one cup | 3 |
| Grapefruit | one | 0 |
| Oranges | one | 1 |
| Peaches | 1 | 0 |
| Raisins | one cup | 18 |
| Strawberries | one cup | 2 |
| Watermelon | one cup | 6 |
Proteins
| Food | Serving Size | Sodium mg |
|---|---|---|
| Beef Liver | 4 oz. | 80 |
| Chicken (dark) | 4 oz | 100 |
| Chicken (light) | 4 oz | 88 |
| Egg | one | 162 |
| Beans | one cup | 4 |
| Freshwater Fish | 4 oz | 74 |
| Ground Beef | 4 oz | 80 |
| Ham | 4 oz | 1700 |
| Hotdog | one | 585 |
| Lamb | 4 oz | 74 |
| Peanuts | 1 oz | 228 |
| Pork Bacon | one slice | 155 |
| Pork loin | 4 oz | 74 |
| Ribs | 4 oz | 105 |
| Salmon | 4 oz | 62 |
| Shellfish | 4 oz | 400 |
| Shrimp | 4 oz | 238 |
| T-bone Steak | 4 oz | 80 |
| Tuna in water | 4 oz | 400 |
| Turkey (dark) | 4 oz | 87 |
| Turkey (light) | 4 oz | 72 |
| Veal | 4 oz | 78 |
Grains
| Food | Serving Size | Sodium mg |
|---|---|---|
| Bran flakes | 3/4 cup | 220 |
| Cooked Grain Cereal | 1 packet | 250 |
| Corn Flakes | 1 cup | 290 |
| English Muffins | one | 360 |
| Hamburger Bun | one | 241 |
| Pancake | one | 430 |
| Pasta | 1 cup | 7 |
| Rice | one cup | 4 |
| Shredded wheat | one | 0 |
| Waffles | one | 230 |
| White Bread | 2 slices | 246 |
| Whole Wheat Bread | 2 slices | 320 |
Dairy Products
| Food | Serving Size | Sodium mg |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk | one cup | 260 |
| Cheese (american) | 1 oz | 443 |
| Cheese (cheddar) | 1 oz | 175 |
| Cheese (grated parmesan) | one tablespoon | 93 |
| Cheese (swiss) | 1 oz | 74 |
| Cottage Cheese | one cup | 918 |
| Cream Cheese | one tablespoon | 43 |
| Milk | one cup | 120 |
| Milk (1%) | one cup | 115 |
| Yogurt | one cup | 115 |
Diet Planner
When planning your low sodium or low salt diet, you should choose foods following these general guidelines for a healthy and nutritional diet:
- Vegetables
- five servings per day
- Fruit
- five servings per day
- Proteins
- three servings per day
- Grains
- five servings per day
- Dairy Products
- two servings per day
Sample Low Sodium Diet Menu
| Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh Fruit | Roast Turkey | Grilled Chicken |
| Low sodium cereals | Fresh carrots | Steamed vegetables |
| Milk | Apple sauce | Baked Potatoes |
| Low sodium bread | Low sodium crackers | Salad with low-sodium dressing |
Recipes and Seasoning
Always try to use fresh ingredients and foods with no salt added. Stay away from processed foods such as canned soups, vegetables, frozen dinners, and gravy sauces. If you're eating processed foods, then use only low sodium canned soups and fresh or frozen, no salt added salt canned vegetables.
Click here for more Low Sodium Diet Recipes
Click here to see Low Salt Foods List
Dining Out
When eating out at restaurants, choose steamed fish, chicken, vegetables or salads.
Salt Alternatives
Ask your doctor about using salt alternatives or substitutes. Salt alternatives often contain potassium which may cause harmful interactions if you are taking certain medications.