SODIUM-CONTROLLED DIET

PURPOSE

Sodium-controlled diets are used to reduce blood pressure in salt-sensitive hypertension and to promote the loss of excess fluids in edema due to cardiovascular or renal disease and in ascites due to hepatic disease. Sodium-controlled diets may also enhance the action of some medications. Over 90% of sodium in an average diet is in the form of salt, so the diet may be termed salt restriction.

DESCRIPTION 1.5-2.3 Gram Sodium (65-100 mEq Na)

This level of sodium is used for low salt, low sodium, salt-free, and no salt diet prescriptions. Foods high in sodium content are omitted. One-fourth teaspoon of salt is allowed in the preparation of food or may be used at the table. Because sodium is widely distributed in foods, portions and number of servings are restricted according to the sodium content.

BASIC INFORMATION

Salt substitutes should be approved by your health care provider. Salt-free herbs and spices may be used freely. Carefully reading labels is important, as some salt-replacement seasonings contain sodium chloride. “Light” salts, which are a mixture of potassium chloride and sodium chloride, are also limited on sodium-controlled diets.

Approximately 75% of the sodium Americans consume is added to foods during processing or preparation. The following list will help you interpret sodium information on food labels:

• Sodium Free—5 mg or less of sodium per serving.
• Very Low Sodium—35 mg or less of sodium per serving.
• Low Sodium—140 mg or less of sodium per serving.
• Reduced Sodium—25% less sodium per standard serving than the regular product.
• Light in sodium—50% less sodium per standard serving than the regular product.
• No Added Salt or Unsalted—no salt is added during processing.

Water Supply

Water supplies vary in natural sodium content. Up to 25% of dietary sodium may come from drinking water. For the sodium content in your water supply, call your city’s water department. Water softeners may add large amounts of sodium to the water. The sodium content of softened water ranges between 7 and 220 milligrams per quart. The company that installed your softener can provide sodium level information. Distilled drinking water may be used for cooking and drinking when water supplies contain more than 120 mg sodium per liter and the diet is below 2 grams.

Recommended Intake

The estimated average daily intake of sodium in the American diet ranges from 3.5 to 6.0 grams per day. The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that daily sodium intake should not exceed 2.4 grams (2400 milligrams) for healthy adults.

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Although salt/sodium restriction is frequently used in the prevention and treatment of hypertension, not all persons respond equally to this restriction. African Americans, the elderly, and hypertensive adults are more sensitive to dietary sodium than other population groups. Changing lifestyle or diet will often result in a reduction in drug requirements and thereby decrease costs and adverse reactions. Treatment for hypertension is not limited to taking medicines and the control of sodium intake. Lifestyle and dietary treatments also play a role:

• Weight reduction, even if modest.
• Increased physical activity.
• Avoidance of tobacco.
• Moderation of alcohol intake.
• Stress management.
• Maintenance of adequate potassium, magnesium, and calcium intakes.

NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY

The 2.3–gram sodium-controlled diet is designed to provide adequate nutrients to meet the needs of healthy adults.

FOOD LISTS—2.3 GRAM SODIUM DIET

Milk and Dairy Products (2 to 3 servings/day)

• Foods Allowed: Any milk—white, low-fat, fat-free, chocolate and cocoa; yogurt; natural cheese (limit 1 oz per day), low- sodium cheese and cottage cheese. Substitute for 8 oz of milk: 4 oz evaporated milk, 4 oz condensed milk, or 1/3 cup dry milk powder.
• Foods to Avoid: Buttermilk, malted milk, instant cocoa or milk mixes, processed cheese.

Meats and Meat Substitutes(6 ounces/day)

• Foods Allowed: Fresh or fresh frozen: beef, lamb, pork, veal, and game; chicken, turkey, Cornish hen, or other poultry; any fresh-water or fresh-frozen unbreaded fish and shellfish; low-sodium canned tuna or salmon; low-sodium peanut butter; eggs; dried beans and peas; unsalted nuts.
• Foods to Avoid: Any meat, fish, or poultry that is smoked, cured, salted, or canned such as bacon, dried beef, corned beef, cold cuts or luncheon meat, ham, turkey ham, hot dogs, sausages, sardines, anchovies, pickled items (herring, meats, or eggs), koshered meats and poultry, imitation crab, frozen/boxed entrees with more than 500 mg sodium per serving, salted nuts or peanut butter.

Breads and Grains(6 or more servings/day)

• Foods Allowed: Enriched white, wheat, rye, and pumpernickel bread; hard rolls, bagels, English muffins, cooked cereal without salt; dry low-sodium cereals; unsalted crackers and breadsticks; corn or flour tortillas; biscuits, muffins, cornbread, pancakes, and waffles all made with low-sodium baking powder; low-sodium or homemade bread crumbs; rice, noodles, barley, spaghetti, macaroni, and other pastas; homemade bread stuffing.
• Foods to Avoid: Breads and rolls with salted tops; quick breads; instant hot cereals; dry cereals with added salt; crackers with salted tops; pancakes, waffles, muffins, biscuits, and cornbread with salt, baking powder, self-rising flour or instant mixes; regular bread crumbs or cracker crumbs; commercial stuffing.

Vegetables(3 or more servings/day)

• Foods Allowed: Fresh, frozen, and low-sodium canned vegetables; regular canned, drained vegetables (limit to 1/2 cup serving per day); unsalted tomato sauce, low-sodium vegetable juice; sauerkraut, salt-free potato chips.
• Foods to Avoid: Regular canned vegetables (over 1/2 cup per day); vegetable juices; sauerkraut; pickled vegetables and others prepared in brine; instant potato products with added salt or sodium.

Fruits (3–4 or more servings a day)

• Foods Allowed: All fruits and juices.
• Foods to Avoid: None except salted prunes (saladitos).

Desserts and Sweets

• Foods Allowed: Any sweets such as sugar, honey, jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade, hard candy; limit regular baked products (cake, pie, cookies) to 1 serving a day.
• Foods to Avoid: More than 1 serving a day of regular baked products.

Beverages

• Foods Allowed: Coffee, tea, soft drinks with less than 35 mg sodium per serving; alcoholic beverages (if your health care provider approves).
• Foods to Avoid: Commercially softened water as a beverage or in food preparation.

Miscellaneous

• Foods Allowed: Limit added salt to 1/4 teaspoon per day, may be used in cooking or at the table; limit to 3 tsp salted butter or margarine per day; salt-free butter or margarine; vegetable oils, shortening, and mayonnaise; salt-free salad dressings; salt substitute (with health care provider’s approval); pepper, herbs, and spices; flavorings; vinegar and lemon or lime juice; salt-free seasonings; low-sodium condiments such as catsup, chili sauce, and mustard; fresh-ground horseradish; homemade or salt-free soups; low-sodium baking powder; unsalted snacks such as nuts, seeds, pretzels, chips, and popcorn.
• Foods to Avoid: Added salt in excess of 1/4 tsp per day; light-salt; garlic salt, celery salt, onion salt, and seasoned salt; sea salt, rock salt, and kosher salt; seasonings containing salt and sodium compounds; monosodium glutamate (MSG, Accent); regular catsup, chili sauce, mustard, pickles, relishes, olives, and horseradish; Kitchen Bouquet; gravy and sauce mixes; barbecue sauce, soy and teriyaki sauce; Worcestershire and steak sauce; salted snack foods such as nuts, seeds, pretzels, chips, and popcorn; commercially prepared convenience foods; regular canned or dried soups.

SAMPLE MENU 2.5 GRAM SODIUM DIET

Nutrient Analysis

Special Notes: