Manitoba Renal Program
Sodium and Your Diet
WHAT IS SODIUM?
Sodium is a mineral found in salt and in food. We need it to live because
it has many functions in our body; but we eat more than we need.
WHY DO I NEED TO LIMIT MY SODIUM INTAKE?
Thirst, fluid gain and high blood pressure are problems that can occur
especially if you have kidney disease. By using less sodium in your diet,
you can help control these problems.
WHERE IS THE SODIUM?
The salt shaker – this includes salt added during meal preparation and/or
salt added at the table.
In processed foods – this includes smoked, cured, pickled foods and
salted snack foods.
Naturally occurring – sodium occurs naturally in foods and water. Most
unprocessed and unseasoned foods are low in sodium.
Aim for ________ mg per day when reading food labels.
Aim for less than 10 % Daily Value.
July 2010
To be used in conjunction with advice from a Registered Dietitian.
Manitoba Renal Program
Sodium and Your Diet
HOW CAN I EAT LESS SODIUM?
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Do not add salt to the foods you eat.
Do not add salt to the foods you are cooking.
Avoid salty tasting foods.
Read food labels (avoid foods when sodium is listed as one of the
first five ingredients).
Cook with herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt.
Choose fresh foods. Canned and processed foods have added salt.
Limit how much you use.
When eating out at restaurants, ask for your food to be made
without salt. Ask for gravy, salad dressing, or sauce on the side so
you can control how much you use.
Speak with your dietitian about balancing high sodium foods.
Do not use salt substitutes. They may contain potassium, another
mineral people with kidney disease need to limit. Examples of salt
substitutes are Half Salt®, Nu Salt® or No Salt®.
Do not buy low sodium foods containing potassium chloride.
Buy the sodium reduced version of foods such as crackers, canned
soup and canned vegetables.
How does processing affect the sodium content in food?
When foods are processed, the sodium content increases-For Example:
Cucumber/salad dressing
Dill pickle
Cucumber
234 mg
7 slices= 2 mg
928 mg
Chicken
½ breast= 69 mg
Lemon
1 mg
Pork
3 oz= 59 mg
July 2010
Chicken pie
1 frozen= 907 mg
Soy Sauce
1 tbsp= 1,029 mg
Bacon
4 slices= 548 mg
KFC dinner
2,243 mg
Salt
1 tsp= 2300 mg
Ham
3 oz= 1,114 mg
Manitoba Renal Program
Sodium and Your Diet
MANITOBA RENAL PROGRAM - SODIUM AND YOUR DIET
FOOD ITEM
Seasonings /
Condiments
GOOD CHOICES
(LOW SODIUM)
POOR CHOICES
Fresh garlic, fresh onion,
pepper, vinegar, garlic powder,
onion powder, lemon juice, saltfree seasoning blends such as
Mrs. Dash ®, McCormick No
Salt Added®. Homemade or
low-sodium sauces and salad
dressings, vinegar, dry
mustard.
Table salt, garlic salt, onion
salt, celery salt, bouillon cubes,
OXO®, Bovril®, seasoning salt,
lemon pepper, meat tenderizer.
Ketchup, mustard, relish.
(HIGH SODIUM)
Sauces – barbeque sauce, soy
sauce, steak sauce, teriyaki
sauce, oyster sauce.
Snack Foods
Unsalted crackers, unsalted
pretzels, unsalted popcorn.
Salted crackers, potato chips,
salted pretzels, salted
popcorn, nuts, seeds, pickles
and olives.
Meat and
Alternatives
Fresh beef, veal, pork, poultry,
fish, eggs, low sodium deli
meats such as oven-roasted
beef, chicken and turkey.
Hard cheese (limit to __/ __).
Homemade or low-sodium
soups, canned food without
added salt.
Wieners, sausage, Spam®,
Klik®, ham, bacon, salami,
bologna, pastrami, corned beef,
Cheese Whiz®, cheese slices.
Other Foods
Homemade casseroles without
added salt using fresh, frozen
or unsalted canned vegetables,
fresh meat, rice or pasta.
July 2010
Buttermilk
Canned and packaged soups,
vegetable juices, canned
vegetables, sauerkraut.
TV dinners, canned spaghetti /
ravioli, canned chili, frozen
prepared foods, canned or
packaged macaroni and cheese
(Kraft Dinner®).