Limiting sodium intake can be an effective dietary strategy for those with certain health conditions, like high blood pressure. This step-by-step guide offers helpful tips and strategies to reduce sodium intake including high sodium foods, reading nutrition labels, adding flavor to meals without salt, and eating out strategies.
Even with the most simple of recommendations, watching your sodium consumption can be very difficult. Through my experience working with chronic kidney disease patients, I’ve seen firsthand just how many obstacles people face when trying to cut back on salt – whether it’s hidden sodium in everyday foods, the struggle to find flavorful alternatives, or getting into a meal prep routine.
I have found that there is some nuance when following a low sodium diet – what works well for one person might not be the best fit for someone else. For example, if you love dining out once a week, you don’t have to give it up entirely. Instead, you can balance it by being more mindful of your sodium intake throughout the rest of the day or week.
Others might struggle with eating home-cooked meals everyday and have to rely on more prepared options while still staying within their sodium recommendations. The key is balance: finding an approach that feels sustainable long-term.
Whether you’re managing high blood pressure, kidney disease, or just looking to cut back on salt for overall wellness, this guide might help you do it in a way that’s both sustainable and satisfying.
Sodium Recommendations
The Difference Between Sodium and Salt
First and foremost: there is a difference between the terms “salt” and “sodium”, two words that are often used interchangeably. Sodium is a mineral that is essential to many physiologic processes. Salt is just another term for table salt, or sodium chloride, a combination of 40% sodium and 60% chloride.
How much sodium should we be consuming per day?
The amount of sodium we should consume is a bit controversial as of recently. We still need to consume sodium on a daily basis: even for those with high blood pressure, consuming too little can have consequences.
It has been estimated that most people consume 3-6 grams of sodium per day on average. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg a day and moving toward an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults.
Their stance is that lowering sodium intake is beneficial in reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death globally, and is especially important for those with high blood pressure.
The World Health Organization recommends 2000 mg or 2 grams of sodium per day. However, a recent analysis suggested that there is not enough evidence for this strict of a recommendation.
Those with high blood pressure or high risk for cardiovascular disease would benefit from sticking to that 2000-2300 mg range. However, the average healthy adult may not need to follow as strict of a recommendation to improve their health.
REducing Sodium Intake 101
Start by gradually reducing sodium and experimenting with new seasonings. At first, consuming foods with less sodium will be hard to but your taste buds will adjust and soon you won’t crave that salty taste anymore. Research studies have shown this and I hear this from my patients as well!
Step 1: Be Aware of Foods That are High in Sodium
First and foremost, it’s important to understand which foods can be the biggest culprits of a higher sodium intake. For the most part, it’s packaged and processed foods. These foods can still fit into a lower sodium diet but reading nutrition labels is crucial – which I will go into more detail about at step 3.
Below is a list of foods which are typically very high in sodium.
- Processed meats: Ham, bacon, sausage, deli meats, frozen breaded chicken, and hot dogs.
- Canned soups and broths: Even “low-fat” or “healthy” versions can be high in sodium.
- Packaged snacks: Chips, crackers, pretzels, and flavored nuts.
- Frozen meals: Pre-packaged dinners and pizza.
- Condiments and sauces: Soy sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, and marinades.
- Restaurant and fast food: Especially fried and heavily seasoned dishes.
- Pickles, olive, relish.
Breakdown of 2300 mg of sodium per day
Step 2: Focus on cooking meals at home
One of the most beneficial steps you can take to watching your sodium is prioritizing home-cooked meals. This allows you to control every ingredient, and therefore, the amount of sodium you’re consuming.
The best tips for cooking with less salt
- Eat a variety of healthy foods with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables. Potassium, often found in fruits and vegetables, actually helps the body get rid of sodium.
- Get rid of the salt shaker. A teaspoon of table salt has about 2,300 milligrams of sodium. That is an entire day’s worth of salt! A teaspoon of sea salt or kosher salt may have less sodium because fewer crystals fit on the spoon – but it’s still salt.
- Use no salt ingredients to flavor foods. For example, no salt seasonings like Mrs. Dash. Add flavor to foods without salt by using lemons, limes, garlic, onion, vinegars, fresh herbs and spices.
If you are someone who doesn’t cook a lot, having some meal preparation strategies in place can make a big difference. Whether you meal prep on Sundays or for a few minutes every night, I recommend setting aside periods of time throughout the week to prep components to set you up for success and eliminate the need to cook every night.
For example, batch cook chicken breast on Sunday and store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Then, you won’t have to rely on processed chicken or ordering out for lunch – which can drastically reduce overall sodium intake.
Figure out easy meal ideas that work for your lifestyle as well as a day or two to meal prep to set you up for success when you don’t feel like cooking. If lunch is the meal you struggle with the most, even frozen dinners with less than 700 mg per serving contain lower sodium than most choices when eating out.
I work with a lot of patients who struggle with this step the most. Life gets in the way and it’s so much easier to turn to processed foods or eat out. Meal delivery services can work here as well. I recommend Mom’s Meals, Sunbasket and CookUnity as they offer low sodium meals.
Check out my Top 10 High Protein Frozen Meals which are also controlled for sodium as well.
Step 3: Always Read Nutrition Labels
Out of all of these steps, this one is usually the most eye-opening. Therefore, I am going to spend the most time on it with infographics illustrating just how eye-opening it can be. Don’t just look for “low sodium” or “no added salt”- read and compare the food labels for different products.
It’s very hard to find canned soups that are low in sodium – this is why it’s always best to make your own using low sodium chicken broth. Below is a comparision of two different canned soups – both high in sodium. However, the difference between the two is about 500 mg.
A good rule of thumb is to look for condiments with less than 200 mg per serving. Below are two condiments I found in my fridge.
Just two tablespoons of Olive Garden Italian Dressing has 540 mg of sodium! Measure sauces and dressings with a tablespoon for better control as we often underestimate how much we are eating.
Now, let’s compare two different seasonings.
Below you will see that the Kinder’s Blend has 180mg of sodium. Now, this can really add up but also keep in mind that a 1/4 teaspoon of table salt has 575 mg of sodium. Therefore, it could be a better choice if you don’t have any underlying health conditions where it’s imperative to follow a low sodium diet.
Look at the nutrition facts of the foods in your diet and figure out the biggest offenders. Try to find a similar product that has less sodium. There are many lower sodium items available today from unsalted crackers to no salt-added canned goods.
4. Choose Fresh or Frozen Foods
Fresh and frozen meat (if not seasoned or breaded) are usually lower in sodium. This is where those meal preparation strategies come in handy, like batch cooking or component cooking. For example, four ounces of chicken breast has 50-75 mg of sodium. Three ounces of canned chicken has 380mg of sodium.
Frozen vegetables are just as healthy as fresh as long as they’re not pre-seasoned or served with a sauce. Canned vegetables can be drained and rinsed to reduce the sodium content. Or, look for no salt-added options.
Step 5: Eating Out Strategies
Consuming that 600-700 mg of sodium per meal is very difficult, almost impossible, when eating out. However, there are some helpful tips that can make a big difference.
Use the following strategies when eating out for more control over sodium intake.
- Look up the nutritional information at fast food establishments and restaurant chains before going there.
- Portion control: only eat half of your meal, cutting the sodium consumption by 50%.
- Ask for sauces, gravies, and dressing to be on the side. These are often the biggest culprits when eating out. This way, you can still consume them but have more control on how much you are eating.
- Ask your waiter or waitress if they can prepare your food without adding salt.
- Select a vegetable heavy option, like a salad or stir-fry.
- Order from the “healthy” or “lower sodium” menu, if available.
For social events and gatherings, try to use these strategies as well. Fill up on vegetables or fruit first and try to limit heavy sauces, dressings, cheese, or creamy pastas.
I also talked about balance in the introduction to this post. If you know you’re going out to eat or attending a social gathering, limit how much sodium you’re consuming for breakfast and lunch that day. Have a healthy snack prior to these events so you’re not ravenous when you get there – which could lead to overindulging on those high sodium foods.
Sample Food Orders
- Tossed salad with grilled chicken, olive oil and vinegar on the side.
- Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with the sauce on the side.
- McDonald’s Egg and Cheese McMuffin (510 mg sodium).
- McDonald’s Hamburger (510mg sodium) – no fries.
- Baked fish with a side of vegetables, asking the waiter not to salt your food.
- Balsamic Chicken with Grains Half Salad at Panera Bread (660 mg)
If you are someone who is really trying to watch their sodium intake, I hope this really helped you out! Follow long for more evidence-based nutrition and healthy recipes in protein and fiber.