Overview

Limiting sodium can be an important part of managing some health problems.

Most of the sodium we eat comes from processed and packaged foods, and restaurant foods. Sodium also comes from the salt we add at mealtime or in cooking. Aim to eat less than 2300 mg of sodium per day or the amount recommended by your healthcare provider. The closer you can get to 1500 mg per day, the better. This includes sodium in food and the salt you add in cooking and at the table.

How can you care for yourself at home?

Read food labels

• Read labels on cans and food packages. The Nutrition Facts table tells you how much sodium is in each serving. Make sure that you look at the serving size at the top of the table. If you eat more than the serving size, you have eaten more sodium.
• The Nutrition Facts table also tells you the Percent Daily Value for sodium. Choose products more often with 5% Daily Value or lower. Food with a % Daily Value higher than 15% are high in sodium. Choose these less often. Compare brands and choose foods with lower % Daily Value and smaller amounts of sodium.
• Be aware that sodium can come in forms other than salt, including monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium citrate, and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). You can sometimes ask for food without MSG or added salt.
• Look for foods that are labelled "unsalted" (no salt added), "sodium-free" (less than 5 mg of sodium per serving), or "low-sodium" (140 mg or less of sodium per serving). Foods labelled "reduced-sodium" and "lightly salted" may still have too much sodium. Be sure to read the label to see how much sodium you are getting.

Buy low-sodium foods

• Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables with no added salt.
• Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit.
• Bagels, bread, pasta, rice, and oatmeal.
• Milk and Soy beverages.
• Beans and peas, canned with no added salt.
• Eggs.
• Fresh meat, poultry or fish (not smoked or cured).
• Nuts and nut butter, with no added salt.
• Tofu, unseasoned.
• Canned fish, with no added salt.

Prepare low-sodium meals

• Cut back on the amount of salt you use in cooking. This will help you adjust to the taste. Do not add salt after cooking. One teaspoon (5 mL) of salt has about 2,300 mg of sodium.
• Take the salt shaker off the table.
• Flavour your food with garlic, lemon juice, onion, vinegar, herbs, and spices. Limit soy sauce, steak sauce, ketchup, gravies, and salad dressings. Make your own salad dressings and sauces without adding salt.
• Rinse canned vegetables and cook them in fresh water. This removes some—but not all—of the salt.

Avoid high-sodium foods

• Avoid eating:
  • Smoked, cured, salted, and canned meat, fish, and poultry.
  • Ham, bacon, hot dogs, and luncheon meats.
  • Blue, feta, Parmesan, and processed cheese.
  • Crackers with salted tops, and other salted snack foods such as pretzels, chips, and salted popcorn.
  • Frozen prepared meals.
  • Canned and dried soups, broths, and bouillon.
  • French fries, pizza, tacos, and other fast foods.
  • Pickles, olives, salsa, chutneys and dips.