Low Sodium Diet

What is Sodium?

Sodium is one component of salt (chloride is the other). Sodium is a mineral that is essential to regulate your body’s fluid balance. If too much sodium is consumed, the body can retain fluids. This can be harmful to people with high blood pressure or heart disease. For anyone not experiencing these medical issues, following a low sodium diet can help ward them off.

How Much Do I Need Each Day?

The human body actually needs very little sodium to function. It is recommended to have less than 2400 mg each day if you have or want to prevent high blood pressure or heart disease. Even less is better.

Where is Sodium Found?

Aside from adding salt to foods at the table, it is found in many foods. Processed foods are loaded with it to help preserve taste and keep them shelf-stable. Even frozen foods can be high in sodium to enhance flavor. It is important to check food labels for its content in pre-packaged, canned, and frozen foods. Sodium may not always be listed as such in the ingredient list. Look for these terms as well: monosodium glutamate (MSG), brine, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, and sodium benzoate.

Fresh foods are the best choice. Even if sodium is naturally occurring in a food, the content is likely to be low. When shopping in the grocery store, stay on the outer walls of the store. This is where the fresh foods are found. The high-sodium, shelf-stable foods are in the middle of the store – on the shelves.

How Can I Follow a Low Sodium Diet?

If you have been a heavy salt user for a while, switching to a reduced sodium diet may be difficult at first. The initial reaction is usually that food tastes bland. However, just the simple act of not using the salt shaker can greatly reduce salt intake. Once you are no longer adding it to foods, start checking food labels. Begin choosing lower salt versions of your favorite foods and cut back on processed foods in favor of fresh foods. Choose fresh vegetables over canned ones, for example. Avoid prepackaged, ready-to-prepare meals such as boxed dinners. When dining in a restaurant, ask how food is prepared. Request that your meal be prepared without any extra salt. And of course, don’t add any once your food arrives. Try to stay away from fast food restaurants. Most of the items served are very high in sodium, not to mention the high amounts of calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Salt alternatives can be helpful, but make sure to check the label to ensure there is no discrepancy with label information. You can easily try enhancing the flavor of foods with herbs and spices instead. Lemon, rosemary, basil, dill, chives, vinegar, curry, sage – these are versatile flavor lifters that will not affect your body’s fluids.

It might take a little while, but once your tongue adjusts to a low sodium diet, and it will, you will begin to notice high salt foods and may even be turned off by them.

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