How to Buy Low Sodium Foods

Being on a low sodium diet can be no fun. Almost anything tempting on a restaurant menu is off limits. Soups, fried foods and even salad dressings are considered taboo. In the supermarket, it's easier to control how much sodium you're taking in. You just need to read labels and carry a low sodium grocery list.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Stock up in the produce aisle. You can enjoy almost any raw fruit or vegetable with no worries about overdoing sodium. Nuts sold in this section are a safe bet too, as long as they are raw--not roasted or smoked--with no salt added.

2. Do more research in the dairy section rather than just putting whatever you like in the cart. You'll have to stick to low sodium cheeses. Milk, eggs and yogurt are fine, but when it comes to butter like spreads, you have two choices: unsalted or heart healthy options.

3. Be very careful when wading through the processed food sections. Low sodium foods are defined as 35 mg of sodium or less, with a goal of no more than 1000 mg of sodium a day. You can consume a full day's worth of sodium with one can of soup. Stick with items labeled "low sodium" and even then, check the nutritional information to see how many servings are in one package.

4. Tread carefully as you round the deli case. If it says "smoked," look the other way. Bologna is not a good choice. Fresh meats, poultry and fish that haven't been breaded or seasoned are safe for a low sodium diet.

5. Treat yourself to gelatin desserts, low fat ice cream, fruit with whipped dairy toppings and marshmallows. For everything else, read the label.

6. Season your food with pepper, garlic without added salt, vinegar, jelly, low sodium ketchup, honey--or, if you're really craving salt, a salt substitute like NuSalt or NoSalt is a safe bet.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult a nutritionist if your doctor has put you on a low sodium diet.