Reduced Sodium Handout

Elkhart General Hospital, Dietitian’s Office, (524) 389-5611

American Heart Association

What is Sodium?

Sodium is an Many preservatives,

essential mineral processed foods,
found in our body. and restaurant
foods contain
Sodium regulates
sodium
our blood volume
and blood pressure. Learning how to
read nutrition labels
Table salt is the
is important to
most common form
There are many low sodium monitor sodium
of sodium eaten in
or reduced sodium cook intake.
books available that help our diet.
reduce sodium in your diet
and incorporate more fresh
foods into your daily
lifestyle.
Why Watch My Sodium?

Too much sodium in Too high of sodium

the body can lead levels can harm
to: individuals with
Helpful Resources: congestive heart
 Elevated blood
failure or kidney
American Heart Association. pressure
https://www.heart.org/en/h disease
ealthy-living
 Edema/swelling
Sodium and Your CKD Diet:
The daily
of the legs, hands,
How to Spice Up Your recommended
Cooking. National Kidney face
Foundation. Sodium intake is
www.kidney.org/atoz/conte
nt/sodiumckd.cfm  Shortness of 2300mg Na/day
breath
Phillips S, Knuchel N: Chronic ¼ tsp of table salt
Kidney Disease: Nutrition
Basics. Journal of Renal  Heart and kidney has almost 600mg
Nutrition. 2011; 21(4): e15-
complications of sodium
e17.
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AVOID FOODS BELOW THAT ARE HIGH IN SODIUM

Prepared Foods Snack Foods Processed Meats Sauces/Canned Foods Salt and Seasonings
Fast Food Corn Chips Bacon Barbecue Table Salt
Frozen Dinners Potato Chips Beef Jerky Gravies Sea Salt
Hamburger Helper Tortilla Chips Bologna Olives Lite Salt
Instant Hot Cereals Popcorn Chipped Beef Pickles Bullion
Instant Potatoes Pretzels Cheese Relish Ketchup
Pasta Mixes Salted Nuts Corn Beef Sauerkraut Celery Salt
Packaged Noodles Saltines Ham Soup Garlic/Onion Salt
Pizza Sunflower Seeds Hot Dogs Soy Sauce Lemon Pepper
Rice Mixes Kosher Meats Steak Sauce Meat Tenderizer
Pepperoni Teriyaki Sauces
Salami Canned Vegetables
Salt Pork
Sausage
Spam

Tips to
Put down the salt Lower Your Be a smart shopper
shaker; while cooking
and while at the Sodium Use herbs/spices as
an alternative to
dinner table
Intake salt and salt
Avoid processed seasonings
foods and eating out
Request nutrition
at fast food
information when
restaurants
eating out

Shopping for Less Sodium

 Choose fresh  Buy foods with no  Stay away from
foods when added salt foods with more
available than 400mg
 Choose foods that sodium per
 Pay attention to have 140mg or less serving
food labels per serving
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