Low Sodium Guidelines

Food Group

Choose More Often

6-11 Servings Daily

1 Serving Equals
• 1 slice bread
• 1/2 cup dry cereal
• 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal
• 1 tortilla, 4-6 crackers
• 1 oz ready-to-eat cereal
• 1/2 hamburger bun, bagel or English muffin

Very Low Sodium (without added salt)
• Cooked cereals
• Dry & ready-to-eat cereals (puffed cereals, Shredded Wheat, Kashi)
• Pasta, rice, noodles
• Corn tortillas
• Unsalted crackers, pretzels, popcorn, chips, matzo
Moderate Sodium
• Breads, English muffins, bagels, rolls, pita breads, flour tortillas
• Homemade (without salt) biscuits, cornbread, muffins
• Pancakes or waffles (made without salt) or use a low sodium mix
• Most dry cereals (limit to 1 serving a day)

5-9 Servings Daily

1 Serving Equals
1 cup raw leafy vegetable
1/2 cup cooked vegetable
6 oz vegetable juice
6 oz fruit juice
1 medium fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

• All fruits and their natural juices
• All fresh, frozen, or unsalted canned vegetables including potatoes

Choose one Vitamin A-rich (dark green, deep yellow or orange in color) and one Vitamin C-rich (citrus, mango, papaya, strawberry, cantaloupe, tomato, chillis, peppers) fruit or vegetable each day

2-3 Servings Daily

• 1 Serving Equals
• 1 cup milk or 8 oz yogurt
• 1 1/2 oz cheese

• Milk
• Yogurt (plain or fruit)
• Cheese – low sodium
• Cottage cheese (limit to 1/2 cup a day

2-3, 4-9 oz Servings Daily
1 Serving Equals
• 2-3 oz cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
• Count as 1 oz of lean meat: 1/2 cup beans or tofu, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 oz nuts

• Lean meat, fish, and poultry (chicken or turkey) fresh, frozen, or unsalted canned
• Sliced, unsalted deli meats
• Shellfish – once a week (clams, crabs, scallops, shrimp, lobster)
• Low sodium canned tuna or salmon
• Peanut butter – unsalted
• Tofu (soybean curd)
• Dried beans, peas, or lentils (cooked without salt)
• Unsalted nuts or seeds

Use Sparingly
(3-8 Teaspoons)

• Margarine, mayonnaise (regular, diet, or unsalted)
• Oils, unsalted salad dressing
• Sour cream, regular salad dressing

Use Sparingly

• Gelatin, sherbet, sorbet, Popsicle, ice
• Cookies, cakes, desserts-homemade without salt or low sodium package or mix
• Jam, jelly, honey, sugar, hard candy, syrup, marshmallows

n/a

• Low sodium canned or frozen soups
• Low sodium bouillon cubes
• Homemade soup-without salt, MSG,
or soup bases

n/a

• Salt substitute (check with your dietitian or health care provider)
• Fresh or dried herbs, spices, powders (garlic or onion); lemon, lime
• Vinegar, liquid smoke, Tabasco, plan ­yellow mustard
• Flavorings-vanilla, rum, mint, etc.

n/a

• Water, very low sodium mineral water or club soda, juices; fruit drinks most sodas, low sodium vegetable juices
• Coffee, tea, cereal beverages (Postum)

Cooking

Smart Shopping

• Leave the salt out of recipes, except those using yeast
• Take the salt shaker off the table and stove
• Try low sodium baking powder and use regular flour (not self-rising flour) when baking
• For Kosher meats: soak in water one hour before cooking, discard water, and cook in fresh water. Discard water again.
• Use oil instead of margarine or butter in recipes.

• Buy fresh foods when possible. Processed foods have more sodium.
• Read labels. Use the Nutrition Facts panel to compare similar products.
• Understand labeling claims:
• Light in sodium-50% less sodium
• Sodium free-less than 5 mg per serving
• Very low sodium-35 mg or less per serving
• Low sodium-140 mg or less per serving
• Check the 96 Daily Values column. Items less than 5% are good choices. Items more than 20% are high in sodium.