List of Low Sodium Foods

Anyone trying to consume a healthier diet can benefit from consulting a list of low sodium foods. An adult with no associated health issue should consume no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day but unfortunately most eat a great deal more. Sodium is required to conduct nerve impulses, aid in muscle contractions, and help maintain the correct fluid balance and blood pressure in the body.

Decreasing sodium intake can help manage blood pressure, reduce the risk of stroke or kidney disease and diminish the bloating associated with high salt intake. In order to limit sodium intake people have to read food and medication labels and select their foods carefully.

Here is a list of foods recommended while enjoying a low sodium diet.

• Six ounces daily of any fresh or frozen beef, veal, lamb, pork, poultry and fish without salt or sodium in the preparation
• Low sodium water packed tuna or salmon
• Eggs and egg substitutes
• Unsalted nuts
• Low sodium nut butter
• Dry peas and beans

• Low sodium cheese or cottage cheese
• Yogurt
• Skim milk
• Cream
• Non-dairy creamers
• Sour cream
• Ice cream

• Cereals cooked without added salt
• Brown or white rice, pasta, prepared without added salt
• Unsalted popcorn
• Bread, bagels, English muffins, crackers or bread sticks without salted tops
• Most cereal, read the labels
• Most grains, prepared without sodium or salt

• Fresh, or frozen (without salt or sodium added)
• Salt-free canned vegetables
• Vegetable juices without salt or sodium added
• Low sodium tomato sauces

• Any kind of fruit
• Fruit juice, fresh or frozen

• Olive oil, other cooking oils
• Low sodium mayonnaise
• Unsalted butter, margarine
• Low sodium salad dressings

• Spices and herbs without sodium or salt
• Vinegar
• Lemon
• Fresh horseradish or prepared without added salt
• Baking powder and baking soda (baked products only)
• Cream of tartar
• Mustard
• Tabasco sauce and low sodium chili sauces
• Mrs. Dash and other sodium free seasonings
• Yeast
• Jams and jellies
• Low sodium Ketchup

People are not born craving and enjoying salty products; this is an acquired taste. Sodium occurs naturally in many of our foods. Eventually after utilizing the list of low sodium foods people become sensitive to the flavor of foods they should avoid. Here are some high sodium items to avoid:

• Buttermilk, malted milk, chocolate milk, all other cheese except those listed on the allowed list, cream cheese
• Bacon (all types), sausages or hot dogs, all lunch meats unless low sodium
• Breaded meats (chicken parmesan, schnitzel), meats koshered by salting
• Canned and frozen vegetables if processed with salt or sodium
• Anchovies and other smoked fish, caviar
• Anything pickled (sauerkraut, pickles), olives
• Instant hot cereals
• Gravy mixes and marinades, soy sauce
• Canned baked beans, soups and stews
• Canned, packaged and frozen dinners with more than 500 mg sodium
• Crystallized or glazed fruit
• Pretzels and other salted snack foods
• Any food processed, prepared ahead without specific low sodium labeling

Following a low sodium diet does not mean giving up your favorite foods. Simply look for low sodium substitutes to satisfy your tastes without ruining your health. The values indicated below are an average of popular products. Often just substituting a few low sodium foods can make a huge difference.

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