Vitamins and Minerals: Decreasing Salt in Your Diet HF#201



These are guidelines to reduce salt (sodium chloride) from your diet:

• Do not add salt at the table.
• Use half the normal amount of salt in recipes and when cooking.
• Try using a salt substitute.  If potassium is controlled in your diet, salt substitutes should not be used.
• Use frozen, fresh, or canned foods without salt.
• Avoid foods that contain large amounts of salt.
• Reading food labels can also help you reduce your salt intake.

Check the ingredient label of a product for the words salt or sodium.  High sodium foods do not always taste salty because sodium may be in other forms.  Be aware of salt compounds labeled sodium nitrate, sodium citrate, or sodium saccharin.  Also, monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking powder, baking soda, soy sauce, soy isolates, and whey solids add to the salt content of a food.

 

Avoid the foods listed below which have been processed using large amounts of salt.

 

Avoid all salted or smoked meat or fish.
bacon	smoked fish	herring
Canadian bacon	luncheon meats	ham
corned beef	smoked sausage	frankfurters
sardines	bratwurst	canned meat entrees
canned tuna

 

Avoid cheeses.
Camembert	processed cheese	Gorgonzola
cheese spreads	(Velveeta®, American Cheese)
Roquefort	party dips

 

Avoid breads and rolls with salt toppings.

 

Avoid fast foods and processed foods (Unless labeled low or very low sodium)
frozen dinners	potato chips	gravy mixes
Asian foods	pretzels	sauce mixes
spaghetti sauce	salted nuts	pickles, olives, relish
(unless home-made)	salted popcorn	salted crackers
pot pies	sauerkraut	soda crackers
packaged entrees	tomato juice	snack crackers
packaged rice mixes	canned tomatoes,	soups:  canned, frozen
packaged potatoes and	tomato sauce & paste	or dried
noodle mixes	bouillon cubes

 

Avoid seasonings with salt.
celery salt	horseradish	onion salt
lite salt	meat sauces	seasoned salt
chili sauce	meat tenderizers	soy sauce
garlic salt	monosodium glutamate (MSG)	Worcestershire sauce
lemon pepper		barbeque sauce

 

If you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed below.

 

Nutrition Clinic Room University Station 2880 University Avenue Madison, WI  53705 (608) 263-5012

Nutrition Clinic Room UW Health West Clinic 451 Junction Road Madison, WI  53717 (608) 265-7526

Nutrition Clinic Room UW Health East Clinic 5249 East Terrace Drive Madison, WI  53718 (608) 265-0963

 

 

 

 

The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Last Updated: 07/24/2012

Copyright © 11/01/2011 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. HF#201

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