Sodium is a mineral found as a natural ingredient in many foods. The most common form of sodium is salt. The low-sodium diet allows you 1/8-teaspoon of salt per day to use in food preparation or at the table.
Salt substitutes use potassium instead of sodium. You may use them if your doctor approves. However, one should not use salt substitutes with some medications. Check with your doctor to be sure that you can use a salt substitute each time your medication changes.
Following is a list of foods recommended on a low-sodium diet, then a list of those to avoid.
Meat Group (limit four to six ounces daily):
Four to six ounces per day of cooked weight of any meat, poultry (beef, lamb, pork, veal, liver, chicken, duck or turkey) or fish prepared or preserved without salt or sodiumCanned tuna or salmon rinsed or low-sodium tuna and low sodium salmon
One egg daily or 1/3-cup egg substitute daily, including that used in cooking
Low sodium peanut butter (2-tablespoons equals 1-ounce of meat) unsalted nuts, 1-ounce low sodium cheese or you may substitute low sodium cottage cheese for 1-ounce of meatCanned kidney beans, rinsed, and frozen dinners with less than 500mg sodium
Vegetables:
Unlimited amounts of fresh, frozen (without salt or sodium added), or salt-free canned vegetables or vegetable juices without salt or sodium added
Include a good source of Vitamin A at least every other day such as a dark green or a deep yellow vegetable
Ketchup!
Keep your blood pressure out of the danger zone with Heinz or Hunt’s No Salt Added Tomato Ketchup. Each has ZERO sodium but contain the usual ketchup ingredients: Tomatoes, vinegar, corn syrup, spices, etc. Heinz replaces the salt (sodium choloride) with potassium chloride, which tastes somewhat like salt, but helps lower blood pressure. Hunt’s skips the potassium chloride.
Without salt, the ketchups’ sweetness registers more clearly on your tastebuds, and the no-salt added have no more calories than the regulars (about 20 calories per tablespoon), which basically makes their addition a freebie.
Fruits:
Any kind of fruit or fruit juice, fresh, frozen, or canned except those listed in foods to avoid
Include a good source of Vitamin C daily such as citrus fruit or juice, strawberries, raw cabbage and cantaloupe.
Bread and Cereals:
Four slices of regular bread or equivalent per day (bread, rolls, crackers without salted tops)
Sandwich rolls equal two servings of bread.
One (3/4-ounce) serving of dry cereal per day (250mg or less). Cereals cooked without added salt. You may use salt free bread, rolls, and crackers as desired.
Rice, macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, barley prepared without added salt.
Unsalted popcorn or pretzels.
Fat:
s:Four teaspoons per day of regular salted butter, margarine, mayonnaise or mayonnaise type salad dressing or low-sodium mayonnaise
Unsalted butter, margarine or salad dressing is not restricted
Cooking fat or oil
Low sodium salad dressings, cream, non-dairy creamers, sour cream
Unsalted nuts, avocado
Soups:
Home made soups made without salt or restricted seasonings
Low sodium bouillon, broth and soups
Low sodium cream soups made from milk allowance and allowed foods
Beverages:
Coffee, decaffeinated coffee, tea, cereal beverages such as Postum
Sodium containing carbonated beverages limited to 24-ounces per day
Alcoholic beverages with doctor’s permission
Cocoa made with milk allowance without added salt
Desserts:
Gelatin desserts or diet gelatin as desired
Fruit ice; home made tapioca, rice and cornstarch pudding or custard made with allowed milk and egg allowance and without the addition of salt or sodium
Miscellaneous
Spices and herbs which do not contain sodium or salt compounds
Vinegar, lemon, fresh horse radish without added salt, baking powder and baking soda for allowed baked products only, cream of tartar, Tabasco sauce, Veg-It, Mrs. Dash, yeast, low-sodium catsup, low-sodium baking powder, low-sodium baking soda, low sodium chili sauceYou may use a salt substitute or seasoned salt substitute blend containing no sodium with your doctor’s approval.
