Low Sodium Diet
Patient Education
Improving health through education
UHN
This document is intended to be used with instructions by a Registered Dietitian. A Registered Dietitian
can help you change your eating habits to match your lifestyle. Registered dietitians are your reliable
source for nutrition information. Nutrition counselling is provided at the University Health Network for
both inpatients and outpatients.
Please visit the UHN Patient Education website for more health information: www.uhnpatienteducation.ca
© 2008 University Health Network. All rights reserved.
This information is to be used for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional
medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific
medical condition. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for non-commercial personal use only.
Author: Registered Dietitians of the University Health Network
Created: 03/2008
Form: D-5496A
C034-D
Tips for Eating a Low Sodium (Low Salt) Diet
**Salt is also known as sodium chloride. Sodium is the part that affects your health.
1. Eat a variety of foods each day for a balanced diet. Try to choose from each of the four
food groups in Canada’s Food Guide.
. Buy fresh foods when you shop because they are usually lower in sodium. For example,
buy fresh meats, poultry (i.e. chicken or turkey) and fish, and fresh or frozen fruits and
vegetables.
. Do not add salt to your food during cooking or at the table. Instead, use herbs and spices
to make your foods taste better.
. Do not drink water treated by a water softener. If you have a water softener, it should
not supply your drinking water.
. Avoid salty, ready-to-eat foods, snacks, and fast foods. These foods have a lot of added
sodium.
. Read the labels on packaged foods to find foods lower in sodium. Foods listing salt or
sodium near the beginning of the ingredient list are high in sodium. Note: Food labels
may use the symbol “Na” instead of the word “sodium”. Look for foods less than 100
mg of sodium.
7. Ask your doctor if it is safe to use a salt substitute. Some salt substitutes are known to
have potassium (K+) in them, which may be harmful to your health.
8. Do not use baking soda as an antacid (medication used
to lower acid in your stomach). It is high in sodium.
Before you buy a medication not ordered for you by
your doctor, ask the pharmacist if it is allowed on a
low sodium diet. For example, laxatives (medication to
help with bowel movements) and antacids may contain
sodium.
Low Sodium (Low Salt) Food Choices
87 millimoles sodium diet = 2000 mg per day
Food and
Serving Size
Milk & Alternatives
1 serving = ½ cup
Choose these
Low Sodium foods
4 servings
Avoid these
High Sodium foods
Skim milk, 2%, 1% or whole milk, half & • Buttermilk, chocolate milk,
commercial milk drinks, malted
65 mg half cream, regular sour cream, whipping
milk, milkshakes, sweetened
cream. Evaporated milk (¼ cup),
condensed milk.
skim milk powder (2 tbsp), yogurt (100g).
Regular cheese 1 ounce
No sodium Unsalted cheese
65 mg Ricotta cheese (¼ cup)
200-250 mg Cottage cheese (¼ cup) or natural,
hard (1 ounce) or regular cream cheese
(1 ounce)
Meat & Alternatives
6 ounces or 150 grams per day
25 mg Beef, chicken, fish, lamb, pork, turkey
(no added salt or sodium products).
no sodium Dried beans, peas, lentils, legumes, tofu,
unsalted canned tuna or salmon, unsalted
nuts & seeds.
1 egg – 70 mg
1 eggs per day if desired.
2 eggs per week for Heart Healthy eating.
Vegetable and Fruit
As desired:
1 serving = ½ cup
no sodium Fresh, canned or frozen fruit or fruit juice
without sodium
Fresh or unsalted canned vegetable juices
Fresh or frozen vegetable no added salt or
sodium products
Potato – prepared without salt
15 mg Canned vegetables labelled “No Salt
Added”
• Blue cheese, cheese spreads and
sauces, feta cheese, and processed
cheese slices.
• Fish, meat, or poultry that is cured,
salted, smoked, canned, pickled,
(i.e. bacon, corned beef, deli meats,
ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats,
pickled eggs, regular canned salmon
and tuna, sausage, sardines).
• Products with batter or breading,
ready to eat casseroles, mixes, meat
patties, microwavable entrees.
• Artificial fruit – flavoured drink
crystals.
• Regular canned vegetable juices.
• Celery and Greens (½ cup): beet,
chard, dandelion, kale, rapini, and
spinach.
• Frozen green peas, lima beans, or
vegetables in sauce.
• Regular canned vegetables, pickled
vegetables, sauerkraut, relish, and
olives.
• Commercially prepared potato
(i.e. instant or potato chips).
Food and
Serving Size
Grain Products
1 serving =
1 slice of bread
1 small dinner roll
½ hamburger or
hot dog bun
½ pita bread
½ bagel
½ Kaiser roll
½ English muffin
Soups
1 serving = 1 cup
Fats & Oils
Choose these
Low Sodium foods
4 servings per day from these foods:
Regular bread or rolls (200 mg per serving):
Bagels, French, Kaiser, English muffins,
hamburger buns, hot dog buns, Italian,
pumpernickel, rye, white, whole wheat.
As desired from these foods:
Unsalted bread
Unsalted cooked cereals such as: cornmeal,
cream of rice, cream of wheat, oat bran,
oatmeal, Red River cereal.
Unsalted dry cereals such as: Mini wheat,
natural bran, puffed wheat, puffed rice,
shredded wheat, wheat germ.
Unsalted Crackers such as: Matzoh, melba
toast, rice cakes.
Unsalted popcorn, couscous, cornstarch,
pasta, rice, white flour, whole wheat flour,
other grains prepared without salt.
1 servings
Avoid these
High Sodium foods
• Cheese bread
• Instant breading or coating mixes
• Cookies, cakes or pastries, salted
crackers.
• Instant cooked cereals, other cereals,
and Bran cereals.
• Pancakes, waffles
• Self-rising flour
• Pasta or rice ready to eat products
• Instant noodles
• Salted snack foods
Homemade unsalted soup or low sodium
canned soups if sodium content is less than
80 mg/cup of soup
• Bouillon cubes or powder, “light”
bouillon cubes, dried meat extract,
dried soup mixes, instant soups,
regular canned soups or broth,
“1% salt added” canned soups.
As desired:
Unsalted gravy, unsalted margarine, unsalted
mayonnaise, unsalted peanut butter, unsalted
salad dressing, vegetable oil
• Ready made salad and vegetable
dips.
Regular margarine 5
tsp/day
Regular mayonnaise or peanut butter
1 tbsp/day
Desserts & Sweets
1 serving = ½ cup
• Ready made salad dressing.
• Ready made gravy bases, instant
gravy mixes, bacon fat.
1 serving if desired
Ice cream, ice milk, gelatine dessert, sherbet. • Desserts made with salt or sodium
Unsalted homemade pudding or custard
products (Baking soda)
dessert = 1/8 pie Fruit pies with unsalted crust and filling
• Store bought desserts and mixes:
Brown sugar, white sugar, hard candies,
butterscotch or caramel flavoured
honey, jam, marmalade, pure maple products,
candy, “Dutch-process” chocolate,
baking or pure chocolate.
chocolate, corn, syrup, molasses.
Food and
Serving Size
Miscellaneous
Choose these
Low Sodium foods
As desired:
Avoid these
High Sodium foods
Carbonated beverages, low sodium mineral
• Baking powder, baking soda, meat
or carbonated water (less than 10 mg sodium/
tenderizers, MSG, regular salt,
®
litre), coffee, Postum , tea.
seasoned salt, sea salt, Kosher salt,
salt substitutes (i.e. No Salt®, Half
Flavouring extracts, cranberry sauce, dry
Salt®, Nu Salt®).
mustard powder, herbs, mint sauce, spices,
Tabasco sauce, Tartar sauce, vinegar.
• Ready made sauces and
condiments such as: chili sauce,
Herb spice mix:
fish sauce, Hoisin sauce, ketchup,
Mrs. Dash® or McCormick’s No Salt Added.
mustard, oyster sauce, soy sauce,
Refer to “Making your food taste great
teriyaki sauce.
without salt” section for more ideas.
• Artificial sweeteners containing
sodium, water softeners
• Hot chocolate mix, Ovaltine®,
Milo®, Club Soda, Diet Cola,
Regular Cola
Understanding Food Labels
When buying packaged foods, review serving
size and sodium content information.
For example: the serving size is 5 oz (ounces)
Amount of sodium in mg per serving.
Choose products less than 100mg per serving.
Making your Food Taste Great without Salt!
Try one of these spices instead of salt!
All Fresh Herbs
Allspice
Basil
Bay Leaves
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Celery Powder
Chili Powder
Chives
Cinnamon
Cloves
Cocoa Powder
Cumin
Curry
Dill
Dry Mustard
Flavoured Extracts
(Vanilla, almond)
Garlic Powder
Ginger
Green Pepper
Lemongrass
Lemon Juice
Marjoram
Mint
Nutmeg
Onion Powder
Oregano
Paprika
Parsley
Pimento
Red Pepper
Rosemary
Saffron
Sage
Savory
Thyme
Vinegar