Limiting sodium intake during pregnancy helps reduce the amount of swelling you may experience. The American Pregnancy Association notes that while some extra fluid retention is normal and even beneficial during healthy pregnancies, excessive swelling may be reduced by avoiding caffeine, getting extra potassium and cutting back on salty foods. For most women, 1.5 grams of sodium is the recommended daily limit during pregnancy. Completely eliminating sodium, however, can actually complicate pregnancy-related hypertension, so always check with your doctor for the meal plan best suited to your pregnancy.
Snacks
Some snack foods are loaded with sodium, notes the Linus Pauling Institute. Typical servings of potato chips or pretzels have about 1.2 grams of sodium, or almost all of the sodium a pregnant woman should have for the day. Some brands of salted nuts, microwave popcorn and movie popcorn are also notoriously salty.
Fast Foods
Fast food chains are rarely short on salty foods -- and many dishes exceed your entire day's sodium limit. Burgers, onion rings, french fries, submarine sandwiches, breakfast sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, chili and tacos are all frequent offenders. Some chains provide sodium, fat, cholesterol and calorie counts in their menus or online; check before ordering to select the least salty options. Whenever possible, opt for yogurt parfaits, salads with low-sodium dressing, fresh fruit desserts and options labeled “heart healthy.”
Processed Foods
Prepared foods save time, but often you’ll pay for that convenience with high sodium intake. Canned soups, prepared pasta sauces and boxed dinner mixes contain as much as 1 gram of sodium per cup, according to USDA figures. The servings represent more than two-thirds of the sodium you should have for the entire day. Condiments like ketchup and salsa are also salty landmines, as are prepared cheese spreads, salad dressings, tomato juice, canned beans and canned vegetables. Look for low-sodium versions of your favorite products, and rinse canned vegetables and canned beans to remove some of the salt in which they were packed.
Cured and Pickled Foods
Some foods must be treated with salt for purposes of preservation, making them poor choices for daily consumption. Foods like sauerkraut, dill pickles, pork, ham, sausage and deli meats can be sodium minefields. Limiting your servings of these salty foods is always wise, but pregnancy makes it even more crucial to keep these edema-inducing foods to a minimum.
Home Cooking
Adding table salt, dry soup mix, soy sauce and other mixed seasonings to recipes often sends your sodium intake skyrocketing. A single teaspoon of salt contains 2.3 grams of sodium – more than you should have for the day. Using onion soup mix or soy sauce may also approach or exceed your sodium limit. Instead, opt for single-ingredient herbs and spices, use sea salt in moderation, and look for low-sodium versions of soy sauce.
