List of Low Sodium Foods

Perhaps your doctor has placed you on a low sodium diet or you are just concerned in general about the amount of sodium you are ingesting. 

If you want a general list of low sodium foods, here are foods that have 150 mg or less of sodium per serving.  Remember to always check the label for the sodium content and serving size when purchasing food.  

• Bread, cakes, cookies, doughnuts, graham crackers, melba toast, pasta, rice, cooked cereal, granola, puffed rice and wheat, and shredded wheat.
• Dairy - cheeses: Monterey, Mozzarella, Ricotta, cream cheese, half & half, whipping cream, sour cream, milk, ice cream, sherbet, non-dairy creamer
• All fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables without sauce, low sodium canned or rinsed after opening
• Unprocessed meat and fish, eggs, peanut butter, low sodium or rinsed tuna
• Drinks - coffee, tea, beer, wine, carbonated drinks, fruit drinks, Kool-aid
• Butter, margarine, oils, mustard, horseradish, herbs, spices, Tabasco, vinegar, sugar
• Unsalted nuts and popcorn

The Meniere's Page

If you would like more specific information, there is a list of low sodium foods available on The Meniere’s Page.  Their comprehensive list has over 200 foods listed with the amount of sodium per 100 gram serving of food or 3.5 oz.  Here are some examples of low sodium foods from that list- visit their website for the full selection: (the number at the end of the line is the mg of sodium for a 100 g (3.5 oz) food portion)

• Apple, raw unpeeled 1
• Applesauce, sweetened 2
• Beans, snap green, cooked 4
• Carrots 40
• Flounder 78
• Jams and preserves 12
• Lettuce 9
• Milk 50
• Peanuts, roasted 5 (salted 418)
• Radishes 18
• Strawberries 1
• Sweet potatoes 12
• Turkey, 82
• Vinegar 1
• Walnuts 3

Some People Need to Follow a Low Sodium Diet

So, now that you have al ist of low sodium foods, you might be curious about when and why a low sodium diet may be appropriate:

• Healthy adults need somewhere between 1500 and 2400 mg of sodium every day.  Considering one teaspoon of salt is around 2000 mg you can easily see why most people get more than they need.  Fast food is very high in sodium (like a KFC pot pie with 2160 mg) and unfortunately most Americans eat way too much fast food. 
• Too much sodium can cause health problems, like high blood pressure, and it can also lead to heart failure and kidney disease.  Many doctors place patients with hypertension or heart problems on a low sodium diet.  

Tips for a Healthy Low Sodium Diet

Here are some tips everyone can benefit from to lower their sodium intake to a healthy level:

• Cooking at home is a good way to monitor and reduce your sodium intake.  Cook without salt and add a tiny bit for flavor when finished.  Experiment with alternative seasonings to reduce the amount of salt that you use.  
• Remove sodium by draining or rinsing canned foods or by scraping foods that have observable salt on top.
• Lower your consumption of processed foods, especially meat, soup, and frozen dinners.
• When buying food, get in the habit of reading the labels, even for seasonings and condiments.
• If you purchase a food high in sodium, dilute it by adding more water or adding ingredients to it.  You might start with a can of soup as a base and add water and fresh veggies to it.  Remember to rinse canned vegetables.
• Look into salt substitutes especially if you are on a restricted diet.
• Check your medications for their sodium content.
• Avoid drinking softened water as many systems use salt.  If you have soft water in your home, you could switch to a reverse osmosis filtering system.  If you can’t change your water softener, then cook with and drink bottled or filtered water.  Also check the sodium content of soft drinks before you indulge.