2 GRAM SODIUM DIET

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? A 2 gram sodium diet means eating less than 2000 milligrams (mg) or 2 grams of sodium a day. Sodium is found in salt and in small amounts in most other foods. One teaspoon of salt contains 2400 milligrams (mg) of sodium. Eating too much sodium can make your blood pressure go up and can cause other health problems. You should limit the sodium in your food if you have high blood pressure or heart failure. Liver problems or kidney disease are other reasons to limit sodium in foods you eat.

Care:

Do not add salt to food during cooking or before eating. Check with your caregivers before using salt-free seasonings.

Limit milk, yogurt and cheese to 2 servings a day. Regular cheese contains a medium to high amount of salt. If you eat cheese, buy low sodium kinds as often as possible.

Read labels on all packaged foods to check for sodium. Fast food and processed packaged foods are often high in sodium. Buy low salt or low sodium foods whenever possible.

Avoid regular canned soups or soups made from dry mixes. Buy low sodium soups or make your own at home without salt.

Many stores now have low sodium breads, canned vegetables, canned fish, cheeses, crackers, salad dressings, soups, and snacks.

Only buy frozen meals that have less than 400 mg of sodium per serving.

Check labels of medicines for sodium contents. Ask your doctor or caregiver if you are not sure about taking a medicine.

The high sodium food lists below talk about regular foods. They are not specially made to be low in sodium. Avoid these high sodium foods. Instead, eat the lower sodium foods from each food group. Your dietitian or caregiver will tell you how many servings to eat from each list.

Serving Sizes:

1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) of liquid is the size of a soda-pop can.

1 cup (8 ounces) of food is the size of a large handful.

1/2 cup (4 ounces) of food is about half of a large handful.

2 tablespoons (Tbsp) is about the size of a large walnut.

1 tablespoon is about the size of the tip of your thumb (from the last crease).

1 teaspoon (tsp) is about the size of the tip of your little finger (from the last crease).

A serving means the size of food after it is cooked. Three ounces of cooked meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards.

BEVERAGES

Good Choices: Drink ________ cups per day from this list. Most people need 6 to 10 cups of liquid per day.

Coffee, tea, or iced tea

Flavored bubbly water without sodium

Fruit juices as listed in the fruit group

Herbal teas

Low sodium bouillon or broth

Soda pop or diet soda pop

Water

DO NOT DRINK THESE HIGH SODIUM BEVERAGES:

Bouillon, broth, or consomme

Gatorade™

Regular tomato or vegetable juices

Malted milk

Seltzer water with sodium or softened water

BREADS & STARCHES

Good Choices: Eat ___________ servings per day of these lower sodium foods. Most people need 6 to 10 servings per day from the list below.

1 slice regular bread

1 medium dinner roll

1/2 bagel, hot dog bun, hamburger bun, or English muffin

1/2 cup cooked pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice

3 cups popped popcorn, no salt

3/4 cup dry flake cereal

1/2 cup cooked, non-instant hot cereal

1 ounce unsalted chips or snacks

1 ounce unsalted crackers or pretzels

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM BREAD & STARCH FOODS:

Breads & crackers with salted tops, such as saltine crackers

Boxed potato, rice, & casserole mixes

Canned soups

Chips (potato, corn, tortilla) or salad croutons

Instant hot cereals, mashed potatoes, or stuffing mixes

Pancakes, biscuits, or waffles from mixes

Salted popcorn or pretzels

DAIRY

Good Choices: Eat two or fewer servings per day of these lower sodium foods.

1 cup fresh milk

1 cup hot cocoa made from mix

1 ounce (1 inch cube) mozzarella or Swiss cheese

1 cup yogurt

1/4 cup ricotta cheese or low sodium cottage cheese

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM DAIRY FOODS:

Blue, Feta, or Roquefort cheeses

Buttermilk, condensed milk, or malted milk

Processed cheeses and spreads

FATS

Good Choices: Eat ____________ servings per day of these lower sodium foods. Most people need 2 to 5 servings per day from the list below.

1/8 avocado

1 tsp any liquid oil

1 Tbsp low sodium salad dressing or mayonnaise

2 Tbsp lowfat sour cream

1 tsp unsalted butter or margarine

1/4 cup unsalted gravy

2 Tbsp unsalted nuts

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM FATS:

Bacon or bacon drippings and imitation bacon bits

Chip dips made with regular cheese

Olives

Regular salad dressings

Salt pork

Salted butter or margarine

FRUITS

Good Choices: Eat ____________ servings per day of these lower sodium foods. Most people need 2-4 servings per day from the list below.

1/2 cup fruit juice

1-1/2 cup fresh berries

1 medium apple, banana, orange, peach, or pear

15 small grapes

1/4 cup dried fruit made without salt

1/2 cup canned fruit

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM FRUITS:

Fruit chutneys with salt

Maraschino cherries

Salted plums (umeboshi)

MEATS/PROTEIN FOODS

Good Choices: Eat ___________ ounces per day of these lower sodium foods. Most people need 4 to 6 ounces of meat or protein foods per day.

Fresh cooked beef, pork, fish, seafood, or poultry

Low sodium deli meats or lunch meats

Low sodium canned tuna or salmon

1 large egg equals 1 ounce of meat

2-inch cube of tofu equals 1 ounce of meat

2 Tbsp unsalted peanut butter equals 1 ounce of meat

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM MEAT/PROTEIN FOODS:

Anchovies, lox, and caviar

Barbecued meat made with salt

Chipped or corned beef

Ham, hot dogs, and sausages

Lunch meats, cold cuts, & deli meats

Regular canned tuna, salmon, & sardines

Regular cottage cheese

Salt pork

Salted nuts or peanut butter

Salted or smoked meats & fish

VEGETABLES

Good Choices: Eat ____________ servings per day of these lower sodium foods. Most people need 2 to 4 servings per day from the list below.

1/2 cup canned low sodium vegetables

1/2 cup cooked fresh or frozen vegetables

1 cup low sodium tomato or vegetable juice

2 cups salad greens

1/2 cup salt-free salsa

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM VEGETABLES:

Dill pickles and pickled beets, onions, or carrots

Sauerkraut

Vegetables canned with salt

Vegetables with cream or cheese sauces

OTHERS: Use the items below to add flavor and variety to your diet. You do not have to limit the amount of these foods unless told to by your dietitian or caregiver.

Barbecue sauce made without salt

Herbs and spices

Lemon pepper without salt

Low sodium ketchup or mustard

Onion or garlic powder

Salt-free herb blends, such as curry powder, Cajun seasoning, Chinese spice, Italian herbs, or chili powder

DO NOT EAT THESE HIGH SODIUM FOODS:

Baking soda and baking powder or self-rising flour

Barbecue sauce or steak sauce

Gravies and sauces from mixes

Meat tenderizers & sauces or monosodium glutamate

Oriental foods with salt or soy and teriyaki sauce

Regular canned soups or soup mixes

Relishes, prepared horseradish, or tartar sauce

Salsa, hot sauce, or chile sauce with salt

Salt, such as garlic salt, kosher salt, onion salt, pickling salt, rock salt, sea salt, seasoning salt, or table salt

Salt substitutes, unless approved by your doctor

Salted nuts or seeds

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about the 2 Gram Sodium Diet. You can then discuss treatment options with your care givers. Work with them to decide what care will be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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