Nutrition Label
Your doctor may have recommended that you maintain a low sodium diet, or you may be simply trying to reduce your intake because of the health benefits. The medical profession agrees that any diet that includes less than 2000 milligrams a day is considered low sodium. Making a few changes to your diet and your eating habits will make reducing the amount of sodium in your diet easier.
Strategies
Keep a journal of the foods you eat and their nutritional content for a month until you become aware of your eating habits. Play close attention to your daily sodium consumption and develop strategies to reduce that amount until it's under 2000 milligrams.
If you find that you're exceeding the recommended amount because you're eating fast food for lunch several times a week, substitute such low-sodium foods as broiled fish on a bed of steamed vegetables. Salty breakfast cereals can be replaced with fresh fruit and a homemade roll. Eliminate packaged foods from your dinner preparations.
Eating Out
Dining in restaurants can be difficult for people on low sodium diets. Before you go out, check to see if the restaurant has its menu online. Some restaurants list the nutritional values of meals, including how much sodium is in each dish. Decide what you're going to order beforehand and avoid last-minute temptations.
If the restaurant doesn't have its menu online, make inquiries of your server. Request that no salt be added during the cooking process for your meal. Find out if the food is made fresh and avoid entrees made with pre-packaged ingredients.
Order a fresh green or fruit salad and ask for the dressing to be put on the side. Choose broiled, grilled or roasted meats with plain steamed vegetables as a side dish. Avoid gravies and sauces.
When you're dining at a friend's house, let your host know that you're on a low sodium diet, so she has time to prepare a few dishes without salt.
Limit your sodium throughout the day if you're going out. This will give you some leeway with sauces and condiments.
At Home
Read the nutrition labels on every product you buy. The per-serving sodium content is displayed on the label as a percentage of total daily intake. Make note of the number of milligrams, rather than the percentage.
Keep in mind that you may combine one product with another, increasing the overall sodium content. Some low sodium products have added potassium, which can be a danger for some people on restricted diets. Check with your doctor about how much potassium he feels is safe for you.
Take the salt shaker off the table and experiment with herbs and spices to add flavor to your meals. Buy a steamer basket to use with fresh vegetables, rather than frying them or cooking them in heavy sauces. Lightly steamed vegetables retain more of their natural vitamins and minerals.
Clear your pantry of packaged foods and use fresh meats and vegetables whenever you can. Learn to bake your own breads and rolls so you can control the sodium content.
This doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite corned beef, pickles or anchovies. Eat them sparingly and factor the salt content into your daily sodium consumption.
Tags: sodium content, steamed vegetables, 2000 milligrams, daily sodium, daily sodium consumption
