Sodium is essential in the body for helping to control blood volume, blood pressure and fluid balance. According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, 2,300 milligrams, or mg, is the highest level considered acceptable to promote a healthy lifestyle and help decrease the risk of heart disease. According to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, eating plan a sodium level of 1,500 mg per day can further decrease blood pressure.
Meats
Choose two to three serving of lean protein daily in a limited sodium diet. Choose fresh or frozen lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs low-salt peanut butter and dry beans. Avoid processed, smoked, cured, salted or canned, pickled meats including bacon, sausage, canned tuna or salmon, hot dogs and frozen TV dinners.
Milk and Milk Products
A limited sodium diet includes two or more servings a day of low sodium dairy products such as milk, cream, sour cream, non-dairy creamer, yogurt and low sodium cheeses, including cottage cheese. Avoid high salt dairy products such as buttermilk, and processed cheese slices and spreads.
Breads
Choose six to eight servings a day of low sodium grains including English muffins, breads and other regular or unsalted bread and rolls on a limited sodium diet. Avoid packaged or instant mixes including pasta, rice, potatoes, cereal, pancake and stuffing unless labeled low sodium. Also avoid salty snack foods including salted crackers, chips, croutons, pretzels and other snack foods.
Vegetables and Fruits
When following a limited sodium diet choose four to five servings of fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables or vegetable juices and tomato sauces. Choose fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and juices as fruit sources. Avoided canned vegetables and vegetable juices such as tomato juice, as well as other canned products including olives, pickles, relishes, sauerkraut or jarred vegetables or vegetables prepared with butter or sauces.
Fats, Oils and Other Condiments
Choose two to three servings or less of fats and oils including olive and canola oils, low-sodium butters and margarines, low-sodium salad dressings and gravies on a limited sodium diet. Avoid ketchup, mustard and other sauces unless labeled low-sodium. Avoid table salt, bouillon cubes, onion and garlic salt as well as other packaged seasonings and monosodium glutamate, or MSG. Use lemon juice and herbs and spices without salt for seasoning and cooking.
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