por What is a low sodium diet?
The low sodium diet, or low sodium, focuses on reducing salt levels through different types of foods and changing eating habits. It’s true that salt gives flavor to many dishes, but it is also true that it is not entirely beneficial when it exceeds the recommended daily amount.
On many occasions, our body says enough is enough and we need to lower the amount of salt that food carries with it, or that we directly add when cooking or eating. The consequences can be fatal in many cases, even leading to a heart attack.
Salt is the only stone or rock that is edible by humans, and it is called sodium chloride. Sodium is an essential chemical element for life, abundantly present in nature, and can be as harmful as beneficial to our body.
Sodium levels directly influence our blood pressure or our heart capacity. The higher levels we present in our body, the more our blood pressure will increase and the more risks we will run of suffering from some type of heart disease.
High levels of salt in the body can cause cardiovascular problems, so it is recommended not to exceed 2300 mg per day.
Foods for a low sodium diet
Vegetables
We can choose different types of fresh vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, cabbage, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, etc., including frozen ones, as long as they do not contain any type of dressing sauce.
We can also ingest different types of vegetable juices, and as always, that their ingredients contain minimum levels of salt.
Fruit
Bananas, apples or oranges are the ideal complement to a low sodium diet. To these we can add many others, whether fresh, frozen or canned, as long as they are in water or their own juice, and never in syrup.
Cereals, legumes and nuts
In this group we find different types of rice and pasta along with unsweetened oatmeal.
If we talk about legumes, beans are the clear example of what can be eaten, while some nuts to accompany them are never a bad thing, as long as they do not contain salt.
meats
Fresh meats, such as fish and shellfish, along with chicken and turkey, are the most used type of meat in a diet with such characteristics.
We can also add, carefully and knowing that they may present levels greater of salt, meats from pork or even beef.
Dairy
Skimmed milk and low-fat yogurts can easily be included in our day-to-day foods.
On the other hand, these two types of food provide us with high levels of magnesium, which serves to improve and regulate our blood pressure, and consequently, benefit the sodium levels present in our body.
Oils and seasonings
In this last section we find margarine and spreadable butter without salt and different oils, such as olive, canola or sesame.
Vinegar is also accepted in the diet.
An exception can also be made with mayonnaise, as long as it is low in fat and tomato (also as a sauce), as long as we can find it under the «no added salt» label.
Drinks
In this section we can easily reduce the set of drinks to the intake of water or infusions without sugar.
Negative foods for the low sodium diet
Frozen vegetables
You have to be careful with the different frozen vegetables that we can find. They can be consumed, but always taking care of the salt levels they may present.
Fruits and unnatural fruits
Glazed fruits, nuts or the olives themselves are not suitable for reducing sodium levels in the body.
Non-integral cereals and legumes with additives
Breads, such as cookies, or industrial pastries, are harmful for low-sodium diets.
Combinations such as sauces accompanied by condiments for rice and pasta are strictly prohibited, in addition to adding salt to the boiling casserole.
As for foods such as beans, potatoes or peas, ham or bacon should not be added to them. It is also important to avoid vacuum canning this type of food, because it contains a lot of salt.
salted meats
Salted or canned meats have the highest salt content. It goes without saying that frozen meats, such as pizza toppings or hot dog sausages, are strictly prohibited.
salted dairy
Chocolates, spreadable and cured melted cheeses, fall within the prohibited framework for dairy products along with butter.
Oils and seasonings rich in salt
Within the family of oils and condiments, we find foods that are harmful because they are rich in salt, such as salad dressings, butter and margarine with salt, or directly any type of sauce.
Carbonated drinks
It is advisable to avoid any carbonated drinks with sodium, alcoholic drinks or softened water at all times.
Desserts
It would be convenient to avoid industrial bakery products, and be careful with those from bakeries or artisanal ones.
Amounts of salt in different everyday foods
Meat, poultry and fish
– Bacon, 1 medium piece: 155 mg
– Chicken, 100 grams: 87 mg
– Fried egg, 1 serving: 77 mg
– Scrambled eggs with milk, 1 serving: 171 mg
– Haddock, 85 grams: 74 mg
– Roasted ham, 100 grams: from 1,300 to 1,500 mg
– Hamburger, 100 grams: 77 mg
– Hot dog, 1 serving: 585 mg
– Pork loin, 100 grams: 65 mg
– Salmon, 85 grams: 50 mg
– Shellfish, 85 grams: from 100 to 325 mg
– Shrimp, 85 grams: 190 mg
– Pork ribs, 100 grams: 93 mg
– Tuna, 100 grams: 300 mg
Dairy products
– American cheese, 30 grams: 443 mg
– Butter, 1 cup: 260 mg
– Cheddar cheese, 30 grams: 175 mg
– Cottage cheese, 1 cup: 918 mg
– Swiss cheese, 30 grams: 75 mg
– Whole milk, 1 cup: 120 mg
– Skimmed milk, 1 cup: 125 mg
– Plain yogurt, 1 cup: 115 mg
Vegetables, legumes and vegetable juices
– Asparagus, 6 spears: 10 mg
– Avocado, half portion: 10 mg
– Navy beans, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Green beans, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Beans, peas or lentils, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Beetroot, 1 cup: 84 mg
– Raw broccoli, half a cup: 12 mg
– Cooked broccoli, half a cup: 20 mg
– Raw carrot, half serving: 25 mg
– Cooked carrot, half portion: 52 mg
– Celery, 1 stem: 35 mg
– Sweet corn, half a cup: 14 mg
– Cucumber, half a cup sliced: 1 mg
– Raw eggplant, 1 cup: 2 mg
– Eggplant, cooked, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Lettuce, 1 leaf: 2 mg
– Broad beans, 1 cup: 5 mg
– Mushrooms raw or cooked, half a cup: 1-2 mg
– Chopped raw or cooked onion, half a cup: 2-3 mg
– Peas, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Baked potato, 1 serving: 7 mg
– Radishes, 10: 11mg
– Raw spinach, half a cup: 22 mg
– Cooked spinach, half a cup: 22 mg
– Pumpkin, half a cup: 4 mg
– Sweet potato, 1 serving: 12 mg
– Tomato, 1 medium: 11 mg
– Canned tomato juice, three-quarters cup: 660 mg
Fruits and fruit juices
– Apple, 1 serving: 1 mg
– Apple juice, 1 cup: 7 mg
– Apricots, 3 medium: 1 mg
– Dried apricot, 10 halves: 3 mg
– Banana, 1 medium: 1 mg
– Cantaloupe, half a cup: 14 mg
– Grapes, 1 cup: 2 mg
– Grape juice, 1 cup: 7 mg
– Grapefruit, medium: 0 mg
– Orange, 1 medium: 2 mg
– Orange juice, 1 cup: 2 mg
– Peach, 1 piece: 0 mg
– Prunes and dried grapes: 10 mg
– Raisins, a third cup: 6 mg
– Strawberries, 1 cup: 2 mg
– Watermelon, 1 cup: 3 mg
breads and cereals
– Bran flakes, three-quarters cup: 220 mg
– Whole wheat bread, 1 slice: 159 mg
– White bread, 1 slice: 123 mg
– Hamburger bun, 1 serving: 241 mg
– Cooked cereal, 1 serving: 250 mg
– Corn flakes, 1 cup: 290 mg
– English muffin, half cup: 290 mg
– Crepe, one serving: 431 mg
– White long grain rice, 1 cup: 4 mg
– Shredded wheat, 1 cookie: 0 mg
– Spaghetti, 1 cup: 7 mg
– Waffle, 1 serving: 235 mg
canned foods
– Canned soups, 1 cup: 600 to 1,300 mg
– Prepared meals, canned or frozen, 8 ounces: 500 to 2,570 mg
menus
We leave a couple of menus based on low-salt foods to apply in daily life. Remember to cook food with little salt:
menu 1
BREAKFAST: Herbal infusion of your choice (preferably chamomile) with sweetener, or alone, with 1 glass of skimmed milk with cinnamon and 2 slices of wholemeal bread toasted with honey.
MID-MORNING: 1 apple or seasonal fruit.
LUNCH: 1 cup homemade vegetable broth with unsalted steamed vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and basil or oregano, lean beef or unsalted herb chicken breast with 2 slices of unsalted bread, plus 1 pear.
SNACK: 1 skimmed yogurt.
SNACK: herbal infusion (mint, linden, piperine, green, red, etc.) with sweetener or plain, and 1 slice of unsalted whole wheat bread with a piece of unsalted skimmed cheese.
DINNER: Homemade vegetable broth with 100 grams of boiled rice without salt with oil (a small splash) and half a grilled chicken breast with garlic, bell peppers and garlic (without salt and with oregano) with 1 banana.
menu 2
BREAKFAST: Coffee with milk with toasted bread with butter, unsalted margarine or extra virgin olive oil together with 1 slice of fresh cheese.
MID-MORNING: Fruit.
LUNCH: Macaroni with tomato and onion sauce. Grilled veal. Lettuce, tomato, cucumber and radish salad. Bread. Fruit.
SNACK: 1 skimmed yogurt.
DINNER: Vegetables, 1 potato with grilled hake. Accompany with lettuce, some bread and a piece of fruit.