Types Of Sodium Restricted Diets

Sodium is an essential element that you get from the foods in your diet. Sodium plays an important role in health by maintaining fluid balance in the body and allowing muscles and nerves to function properly. Eating too much salt in your diet can lead to health problems, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Eating too much salt can also make certain health conditions worse, including congestive heart failure and kidney disease.

Types of Sodium Restrictions

Sodium restrictions can vary greatly depending on your health and medical conditions. Sodium restrictions may be as liberal as 3 g to 4 g of sodium per day, or as conservative as 1.5 g to 2 g of sodium per day, with a no-added-salt diet being a middle-of-the-road restriction. Most Americans consume far more sodium than they require. Because excess salt can contribute to chronic health conditions, the American Heart Association recommends that most adults consume less than 1.5 gm sodium daily. Your doctor can tell you how much salt is right for you. The amount of sodium in your diet includes the amount of sodium in the foods you eat, plus any salt you add to season your foods. One teaspoon of table salt contains approximately 2,400 mg of sodium.

Foods to Limit

If you are on a reduced sodium diet, it is important to limit foods that are high in sodium. Table salt is a major contributor to sodium intake. Processed foods also contain large amounts of sodium. To reduce your sodium intake, limit high-sodium foods, including ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, cheese, frozen dinners, boxed dinners, canned vegetables, canned fish, canned soups and canned entrees. Also limit seasoning blends such as lemon pepper and steak seasoning, which usually contain large amounts of sodium.

Tips for Reducing Sodium Intake

To reduce the amount of sodium in your diet, try cooking from scratch, which will give you complete control over the amount of salt added to your foods. Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables, or if you buy canned vegetables, look for labels that state "no salt added." Rather than table salt or high-sodium seasoning blends, choose fresh or dried herbs or lemon juice to season your foods. Choose fresh or frozen whole cuts of meat and poultry instead of processed or cured meats.

Professional Resources

Consult a registered dietitian if you have concerns about your sodium intake. A newly prescribed sodium restriction can seem very difficult to follow, but a dietitian can help you design an eating plan that fits your lifestyle while managing your health conditions.