Low-sodium diet

Description
Sodium is a mineral found in your body and the foods you eat. Manufacturers often use sodium when processing foods. At home, you probably use salt, which is a combination of sodium and chloride. Your body uses sodium to produce muscle contractions, maintain fluid balance, conduct nerve impulses, and carry nutrients to cells. Sodium is essential, but you don't need much to survive. A low-sodium or sodium-restricted diet is one that limits the amount of sodium you consume.

Purpose
Most people need about 500 milligrams of sodium a day to ensure good health -- the amount found in just 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Most Americans consume between 4,000 and 6,000 milligrams of sodium a day, however. Up to 30 percent of Americans seem to be sensitive to sodium. This sensitivity contributes to high blood pressure. Also, sodium can cause you to retain fluid. This extra fluid is typically eliminated naturally. If you have high blood pressure, heart, kidney, liver or other problems, however, your body may not be able to get rid of all the extra fluid. This can aggravate certain medical conditions. For example, preliminary research suggests that people who have exercise-induced asthma may reduce their symptoms by cutting back on sodium.
Since there is no way to determine who is sensitive to sodium and who isn't, dietitians generally recommend limiting sodium intake to no more than 2,400 milligrams per day. Depending on your medical history, your doctor may recommend a lower sodium intake. If your doctor suggests a low-sodium diet, find out how many milligrams of sodium per day you will be allowed.


Food labels
Most of the sodium in the typical American diet comes from processed and prepared foods. Read nutrition labels to find out how much sodium is in the food you eat. Here are some definitions to help you understand common sodium labels.
sodium-free: less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving
very low sodium: no more than 35 milligrams of sodium per serving
low sodium: no more than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving
reduced sodium: at least 25 percent less sodium than a comparable product
lite/light in sodium (including lightly salted products): at least 50 percent less sodium than a comparable product
As their names imply, salt-free products meet standard criteria for being sodium-free and no-salt-added/unsalted products have no salt added during processing.


Tips for sodium restriction
To help cut back the amount of sodium in your diet, consider the following suggestions:
Don't salt food before tasting or simply out of habit.
When cooking, use salt sparingly, if at all.
Remove the salt shaker from your table.
Read food labels, and choose foods high in sodium less often.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables rather than the canned variety.
If you eat canned vegetables, choose the "no salt added" variety.
When possible, choose fresh foods instead of processed foods.
When eating out, ask that your foods not be salted during preparation. Also, ask for sauces to be served on the side and use sparingly.
Run water over canned legumes and vegetables to reduce sodium by up to 40 percent.
Remember that sea salt has as much sodium as regular salt.


Foods to avoid
The following foods are especially high in sodium.
anchovies, bacon, bologna, cured and canned meats and fish, frankfurters, pastrami, salami, sausage and pepperoni
barbecue sauce, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce
buttermilk and cheese
chips, crackers and salted nuts
olives and pickles
pizza
canned soup and vegetables
prepackaged convenience products

Considerations
Certain people should not drastically restrict sodium in their diets, including pregnant women, athletes and anyone involved in heavy physical exertion (especially in warm weather). Before making a serious reduction in the amount of sodium in your diet, consult your doctor. Also, consider your medications -- some have lots of sodium, including antacids and seltzers. Check with your pharmacist to see if yours do. As always, consult your doctor before making any changes in your medications.
If you have any medical conditions, consult your doctor before using salt substitutes. They're often high in potassium, which you may need to avoid. Finally, remember the water you drink may provide between 4 and 27 percent of your sodium intake. Water softeners can add up to 220 milligrams of sodium per quart. If you have high blood pressure or are following a sodium-restricted diet, you may want to avoid drinking softened water. If you have a water softener, check with the manufacturer for more information.


Senior-specific information
Being older or having high blood pressure or diabetes may make you more sensitive to changes in sodium intake. Ask your doctor if you need to restrict the amount of sodium in your diet.