Low-Sodium Eating

added 12/26/08

by Mary Saucier Choate, M.S., R.D., L.D.
Food and Nutrition Educator

Eating “low sodium” can be delicious when you use just a few smart strategies to get the most flavor out of your low sodium food choices.

Lowest Sodium Choices

Plain meat; poultry; fish; fruit; fresh, frozen, or low sodium/no salt added canned vegetables and soups; dairy products; grains; and vegetable oils are naturally low in sodium.

Spicing It Up—Sodium Free

Flavorings such as a dash of liquid smoke, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, or a spoonful of sour cream or yogurt can zip up the flavors of low sodium foods.

Try low- or no-salt mixtures such as Mrs. Dash, low sodium Vegit, salt-free Spike, and Frontier’s salt free line including: salt free all-purpose seasoning, “garlic’n’herb,” lemon pepper, and Italian seasoning to add pizzazz to your low sodium meals.

Here are more ideas for adding flavor without the salt:

  • Beef: Dry mustard, nutmeg, onion, sage, pepper, bay leaf, ginger, garlic
  • Lamb: Garlic, curry, mint, rosemary
  • Veal: Bay leaf, ginger, curry, paprika, oregano
  • Chicken: Paprika, thyme, sage, parsley, curry, savory, ginger, garlic
  • Fish: Dry mustard, paprika, curry, bay leaf, lemon juice, dill, tarragon, mint, basil
  • Eggs: Pepper, dry mustard, paprika, tarragon
  • Pork: Ginger, cinnamon, curry, onion, pepper, garlic
  • Asparagus: Lemon juice, caraway seed
  • Green Beans: Lemon juice, nutmeg, onion
  • Broccoli: Lemon juice, oregano
  • Cabbage: Mustard, caraway seed, vinegar
  • Carrots: Allspice, ginger, cloves
  • Cauliflower: Nutmeg, celery seed
  • Peas: Onion, mint
  • Potatoes: Parsley, chives
  • Squash: Ginger, basil, oregano
  • Tomatoes: Basil, oregano, sage, thyme

It All Adds Up

A handy way to manage your daily sodium limit is to divide it into three meals and a snack. For example, a 1500 mg daily sodium budget might be spent like this:

  • Breakfast: Shredded wheat or homemade (not in packets) oatmeal or whole grain hot cereal (0 mg); banana (1 mg); and a cup of low fat milk (100 mg sodium). Total sodium: 101 mg. Note: Many instant oatmeal brands in packets have lots of added sodium, so read labels carefully.
  • Lunch: One cup “No salt added” soup (70 mg); sandwich made with: 2-oz. slice of low salt deli roast beef (80 mg), 1-oz. slice of low sodium cheese (35 mg), 1 tsp. honey mustard (30 mg), 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread (180 mg), lettuce and tomato (8 mg); a cup of lowfat milk (100 mg) to drink and an orange (0mg) for dessert. Total sodium: 503 mg.
  • Dinner: 3-oz. salmon fillet (50 mg) topped with 2 Tbs. salsa (90 mg), low sodium brown rice pilaf (5 mg), ½ cup frozen or fresh broccoli (10 mg), 2 cups garden salad (40 mg), oil and vinegar dressing (0 mg), 5 oz. red wine (6 mg), ½ cup light ice cream (45 mg) for dessert. Total sodium: 246 mg.
  • Snacks: low sodium whole grain crackers (50 mg) and unsalted peanut butter (0 mg), 1 large apple (2mg), 1 oz. serving of tortilla chips (under 140 mg sodium), Nature Valley Fruit and Nut Trail Mix Bar (80 mg).

The daily total for three meals is only 850 mg of sodium. As you can see, there is lots of “wiggle room” left over for snacks and for higher sodium meal items, when you choose wisely.

More Resources for Low Sodium Eating

  • Also see the Co-op brochure: Use the Label to Find Low Sodium Foods.
  • Low sodium Co-op deli products are listed in the Nutrition Guide at the deli counter.
  • The Co-op lower sodium foods guide is available free-of-charge at the service desk and online here.
  • Search “DASH”—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) website.

Want to Know More?

Check out Mary’s article on using the label to find low-sodium foods. Have some thoughts about this article? We’d love to hear from you! Please email us your suggestion or question. Want to sign up for the email version of the Co-op News? Join our list!

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