No Added Salt Diet
NO ADDED SALT DIET
(Approximately 1500-2300 mg sodium)
Sodium is a mineral found naturally in foods and is the major part of table salt. The purpose of this diet is to provide a mild sodium restriction. Too much sodium intake can cause fluid buildup in your body. This can cause swollen ankles, puffiness, a rise in blood pressure, shortness of breath, and/or fluid around your heart.

To decrease the amount of salt in your diet:
- Avoid processed foods. Eat more fresh foods.
- Cook without salt (1tsp salt has 2,300mg sodium)
- Cook with herbs, spices, lemon, vinegars, etc. to add flavor
- Remove the salt shaker from the dinner table
- Look for “very low sodium” or “sodium free” on labels
- When eating out ask for food to be prepared without salt and for sauce on the side
Some Information about Reading Labels:
- Know how much sodium you are allowed each day. Remember that there are 1000 milligrams (mg) in one gram. For example, if your diet prescription is 2 grams of sodium, your limit is 2000 mg per day.
- Remember that food labels list sodium in milligrams (mg).
- Look at the package label for the serving size and sodium content as there may be several servings per package. For example, if there are 2 servings in one bag and the sodium content is 250 mg per serving, the whole bag would contain 500 mg.
- Compare labels of similar products to find the item that is the lowest in sodium.
- If the sodium level per serving of a food is 500 mg or more, the item is not a good choice.
- Try to choose processed foods with
<140mg per serving
Understanding the Terms:
- Sodium Free - Only a trivial amount of sodium per serving
- Very Low Sodium - 35 mg or less per serving
- Low Sodium - 140 mg or less per serving
- Reduced Sodium - Foods in which the level of sodium is reduced by 25%
- Light or Lite in Sodium - Foods in which the level of sodium is reduced By 50%
| ALLOWED | FOODS TO AVOID |
---|
Milk, yogurt, cheese | - Milk (Skim,
Lowfat, Whole)
- Cottage
Cheese
- Pudding
- Custard
- Ice Cream
| |
Meat, fish, poultry | - Fresh or
Frozen Beef, Pork, Poultry, Fish, and Eggs
- Low Sodium
Deli Meats
- Low Sodium
Canned Tuna or Salmon
- Dried Beans
& Peas
- Tofu
- Low Sodium Peanut Butter
| - Ham
- Salt Pork
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Hot Dogs
- Cold Cuts,
Deli Meats & Bologna
- Canned Beans
- Pastrami
- Corned beef
- Spam
- Sardines, Herring, Anchovies and Lox
|
Fruits & Vegetables | - Fresh and Frozen Fruits and Vegetables
| - Canned
Vegetables
- Salted or
Pickled Vegetables
- Vegetable Juice
|
Starches, breads, cereals | - Potatoes
- Macaroni
- Spaghetti
- Noodles
- Rice
- Bread
- Dry cereal
- Oatmeal
- Grits
- Unsalted
Nuts
- Low Sodium Chips, Crackers, Pretzels
| - Pretzels
- Potato, Corn, and Tortilla Chips
- Crackers
- Salted Nuts
- Salted Popcorn
- Sunflower Seeds
- Commercially prepared rice &
noodle mixes
|
Seasonings | - Garlic
- Garlic
powder
- Onion
- Onion powder
- Black Pepper
- Lemon Juice
- Dry Mustard
- Low-Sodium/salt-free
seasoning (Mrs. Dash, NoSalt, NuSalt, or Morton’s Lite Salt)
- Vinegar
- Tabasco Sauce
- Horseradish
- Chocolate/Cocoa
| - Table Salt
- Seasoning
Salt
- Garlic Salt
- Onion Salt
- Celery Salt
- Olives
- Meat
Tenderizer
- Monosodium
Glutamate (MSG)
- Bouillon
Cubes
- Barbecue
Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Soy Sauce
- Teriyaki
Sauce
- Oyster Sauce
|
Fats | - Butter
(unsalted)
- Margarine
- Oil
- Low Sodium
Salad Dressings (look at the label)
| - Bacon Fat
- Salt Pork
- Fat Back
- Prepared
salad dressings (look at the label)
|
Processed Foods | - Homemade Soup or Low Sodium Soup
- Canned Foods without Added Salt
- Homemade Casseroles without added salt, made with fresh or raw vegetables, fresh meat, rice, pasta or unsalted canned vegetables.
| Canned: - Soups
- Tomato
Products
- Vegetable
juices
- Canned
Vegetables
Convenience
Foods:- TV Dinners
- Canned
Raviolis
- Chili
- Macaroni
& Cheese
- Spaghetti
- Commercial
Mixes
- Frozen
Prepared Foods
- Fast Foods
|
Disclaimer:This information is not intended to substitute or replace the professional medical advice you receive from your child's physician. The content provided on this page is for informational purposes only, and was not designed to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your child's physician with any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition.
Reviewed: 05/2018