DIET LOW IN SALT

Nutritional Approach: Adopting a Low-Sodium Diet

A low-sodium diet is recommended for individuals dealing with water retention, hypertension, heart failure, specific liver and kidney conditions, corticosteroid and diuretic treatments, or post-heart surgery recovery.

Sodium, a key component of salt, has nutritional requirements ranging from 1.2 to 3.3 grams per day. However, the average intake in North America is higher, ranging from 2.3 to 6.9 grams per day.

There are various levels of sodium restrictions, often tailored to individual needs. Simple adjustments in dietary habits are typically effective, but some individuals may benefit from consulting a dietitian for further guidance.

The initial step involves minimizing table salt and cooking salt usage. Alternatives such as herbs, spices, or lemon juice can be used to replace salt. Additionally, avoiding salt-rich products, especially processed foods, is crucial.

Products to Avoid:

• Canned soups, soup mixes, commercial broths, and consommes, cubed or concentrated meat extracts (e.g., Bovril®, Oxo®).
• Cold cuts, ham, smoked, salted, or canned meat and fish.
• High-sodium cheeses (except cottage cheese or unsalted varieties).
• Commercial pickles (e.g., olives, gherkins, sauerkraut, seaweed).
• Sodium-rich sauces (e.g., soya, teriyaki, chili, barbecue, ketchup, salad dressings, mayonnaise).
• Salt-coated foods (e.g., chips, tortillas, salted peanuts, salted crackers, popcorn, pretzels).
• Salted condiments (e.g., celery, onion, and garlic salts, monosodium glutamate).
• Vegetable or tomato juices.
• Cake and cookie mixes, instant oatmeal, and doughnuts.

To identify sodium-rich foods or medications, carefully read labels. While it’s not necessary to calculate sodium quantity, recognizing high-sodium products is practical.

Conversion:

• 1 mg of sodium chloride = 0.4 mg sodium.
• 1 mmol sodium = 23 mg sodium.

Tap or bottled water should not exceed 1 mmol of salt per liter (23 p.p.m.).