Sodium is essential to the body. It is a mineral that helps the body regulate fluid balance. Under certain conditions, excess sodium can cause the body to retain too much fluid. This could be harmful for people with conditions such as high blood pressure or heart disease. These conditions are often managed by reducing sodium in the diet. For many patients, restricting the total amount of sodium to 4 grams a day is enough to reduce harmful fluid retention. However, some patients will have to restrict their total sodium intake to 2 grams a day.
Nutrition
If the patient follows the prescribed sodium limitations and chooses a variety of foods from each of the basic food groups (breads and grains, fruits, vegetables, meat alternatives, dairy products), these diets are nutritionally adequate.
| Special Considerations |
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| Sample Menu 2 Gram | ||
|---|---|---|
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Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
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| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories |
2,090 | Fat |
55 gm |
| Protein |
105 gm | Sodium |
1,850 mg |
| Carbohydrates |
300 gm | Potassium |
4,450 mg |
| Sample Menu 4 Gram | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
|
|
|
| This Sample Diet Provides the Following | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories |
2,170 | Fat |
69 gm |
| Protein |
119 gm | Sodium |
4,040 mg |
| Carbohydrates |
294 gm | Potassium |
3,950 mg |
| Diet Differences | |
|---|---|
|
4 Gram |
2 Gram |
| Use a total of 1/2 teaspoon of table salt per day in cooking and food preparation. Do not add salt at the table. | Use no table salt in cooking and food preparation. Do not add salt at the table. |
| Limit prepared salad dressings and condiments such as mustard or catsup to a total of 3 tablespoons per day. | Do not use commercially prepared salad dressings or condiments such as mustard or catsup. |
| Do not eat Bleu, Roquefort, Stilton, or Gorgonzola cheeses. Limit other natural or aged cheeses to 2 oz. per day. | Do not eat any natural or aged cheeses. |
| Limit buttermilk to 8 oz. per week. | Do not drink buttermilk. |
| Limit regular peanut butter to 3 teaspoons per week. | Do not eat regular peanut butter. |
| Choosing Foods For A Reduced Sodium Diet | |
|---|---|
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Choose |
Avoid |
| Breads: English muffin; white, wheat, pumpernickel, other types of regular or unsalted bread and rolls | sweet rolls, breads or rolls with salted tops, packaged cracker or bread crumb coatings, packaged stuffing mixes, biscuits, corn bread |
| Cereals: regular cooked cereals such as oats, cream of wheat, rice, or farina; puffed wheat; puffed rice; shredded wheat | instant hot cereals, any other regular ready-to-eat cereals |
| Crackers and snack foods: all unsalted crackers and snack foods, unsalted peanut butter | salted crackers and snack items, regular peanut butter, party spreads and dips |
| Pasta, rice and potatoes: all types of pastas such as macaroni, spaghetti, rigatoni, ziti, potatoes, rice | macaroni and cheese mix; seasoned rice, noodle, and spaghetti mixes, canned spaghetti, frozen lasagna, macaroni and cheese, rice, and pasta dishes, instant potatoes, seasoned potato mixes |
| Dried beans and peas: pinto beans, white northern beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, lentils, split peas, etc. | any beans or peas prepared with ham, bacon, salt pork, or bacon grease, all canned beans |
| Meats and alternatives: fresh or frozen meat, poultry, and fish, low sodium canned tuna and salmon, eggs | salted, smoked, canned, spiced, and pickled meats, poultry and fish, bacon, ham, sausage; scrapple, regular canned tuna or salmon, cold cuts; luncheon meats, hot dogs, pre-breaded frozen meats, fish, and poultry, TV dinners, meat pies, kosher meats |
| Fruits and vegetables: fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables or vegetable juices, low sodium tomato paste and sauce, fresh, canned, or frozen fruit and juices | regular canned vegetables and vegetable juices, regular tomato sauce and tomato paste, olives, pickles, relishes, sauerkraut or vegetables packed in brine, frozen vegetables in butter or sauces, crystallized and glazed fruit, maraschino cherries, fruit dried with sodium sulfite |
| Dairy products: milk, cream, sour cream, non-dairy creamer, yogurt, low-sodium cottage cheese, low sodium cheese | buttermilk, Dutch processed chocolate milk, processed cheese slices and spreads, regular cheese, cottage cheese |
| Fats and oils: margarine regular butter, or mayonnaise limited to 4 teaspoons per day; unsalted butter, margarine, cooking oils, or shortenings, salt free gravies, cream sauces, and salad dressings | bacon grease, salt pork, commercially prepared sauces, gravies, and salad dressings |
| Soups: salt-free soups and low-sodium bouillon cubes | regular commercially canned or prepared soups, stews, broths, or bouillon, packaged and frozen soups |
| Desserts: gelatin, sherbet, fruit ices, pudding and ice cream as part of milk allowance, angel food cake, salt-free baked goods, sugar, honey, jam, jelly, marmalade, syrup | regular commercially prepared and packaged baked goods, chocolate candy |
| Beverages: coffee, tea, soft drinks, fruit flavored drinks that do not contain sodium | softened water, carbonated beverages with sodium or salt added, check with physician about alcoholic beverages |
| Condiments: fresh and dried herbs; lemon juice; low-sodium mustard, vinegar, Tabasco sauce, low-sodium or no-salt-added ketchup, extracts (almond, lemon, vanilla), baking chocolate and cocoa; seasoning blends that do not contain salt | table salt, lite salt, bouillon cubes, meat extract, Worcestershire sauce, tartar sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, cooking wines, onion salt, prepared mustard, garlic salt, meat flavorings, meat tenderizers, steak and barbecue sauce, seasoned salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), Dutch processed cocoa |
| Flavoring Food Without Salt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Onion, garlic, lemon, vinegar, black pepper, and parsley improve the flavor of many kinds of food. For gourmet-type dishes, use fruit, fruit juices, or sweet and sour sauce. Use fresh or dried herbs and spices to flavor foods. Remember that two teaspoons of chopped fresh herbs equals 1/2 teaspoon of the dried form. Always store dried herbs and spices in a cool, dry place in airtight containers. When flavoring, start with small amounts (1/4 tsp for four servings) and increase to taste. Don’t use more than three herbs or spices in one dish. Certain herbs and spices blend better with some foods than with others, so experiment and use the suggestions below as a guide. | |||
|
Vegetables |
Meats, Poultry, Fish and Eggs | ||
| Asparagus: | lemon, chives | Beef: | bay leaf, dry mustard, nutmeg (in meat loaf), sage, dill, green pepper, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes |
| Broccoli: | lemon, oregano, rosemary | Veal: | bay leaf, curry, ginger, apricot or current jelly, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, tarragon, dry mustard |
| Carrots: | lemon, orange, nutmeg, mint, basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, mace, anise, dry mustard | Pork: | sage, caraway, nutmeg, apples, applesauce, cranberry sauce, tarragon, dry mustard |
| Corn: | green pepper, fresh tomatoes, paprika, hot pepper sauce | Lamb: | curry, mint, dill, sage |
| Peas: | mint, dill, fresh mushrooms, basil, marjoram, savory | Poultry | sage, tarragon, fresh mushrooms, poultry seasoning, curry, peach, apricot, pineapple, lemon, hot pepper sauce, bay leaf |
| Potatoes: | mace, chives, rosemary, dill | Fish & Eggs: | dill, basil, tarragon, curry, dry mustard, paprika, cayenne, thyme, green pepper, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, hot pepper sauce, chives, Bay leaf adds flavor to fish chowders |
| Sweet Potatoes: | mace, ginger, basil, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, oregano, lemon, orange | ||
| Spinach: | nutmeg, oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, allspice, mace, lemon | ||
| Tomatoes: | basil, oregano, thyme, sugar, dill, marjoram, vinegar | ||