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Your Low-Sodium Grocery List: Foods to Shop For (and Avoid)

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There are plenty of abundant sources of salt in our diets. Open up a cookbook to just about any page, and you'll probably find that the recipe on it mentions adding a pinch or two of salt for flavor — even if it doesn't include salt on the ingredients list! And that's not to mention the salt content of processed and prepared foods we pick up at the grocery store. Table salt is a common ingredient in food, and it's one of our main sources of sodium. Some Americans eat an average of five or more teaspoons of salt every day, and even if a food doesn't taste salty, it could still be high in sodium.

While there are benefits to consuming sodium — it helps our nerves and muscles work properly and balances the fluid levels in our bodies — getting too much sodium from your diet can be harmful to your health. Because consuming excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, many people are opting for low-sodium diets. Your doctor might have even recommended one. These diets can be an adjustment, so it's important to learn the basics and develop a meal plan. Get started with these tips and food recommendations.

What Are the Benefits of a Low-Sodium Diet?

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Salt is often added to food as a preservative and to impart more flavor. Fast foods, convenience or packaged foods, frozen meals, snack foods, and other sweet and salty treats often have high amounts of salt. If you're looking to cut back on the sodium you consume, it's best to avoid processed foods. These include:

Olives
Pickles
Anchovies
Sauerkraut
Most cheeses
Chips and crackers
Most salad dressings
Soy and Worcestershire sauces
Packaged tomato and other vegetable juices
Cured and smoked meats like bacon, hot dogs, sausage, ham, bologna and salami

Limiting the amount of sodium in your food has many benefits, including:

Reducing dehydration
Improving your memory
Lowering your blood pressure
Lowering your risk of diabetes
Improving your bones' structure
Lowering your risk of headaches
Decreasing your LDL cholesterol
Decreasing bloating and swelling
Lowering the risk of kidney stones
Preventing the chance of a stroke
Curbing your craving for salty food
Preventing congestive heart failure
Lowering your risk of a heart attack
Improving and protecting your vision
Lowering your risk of stomach cancer
Decreasing your risk of kidney damage
Decreasing the chance of a brain aneurysm
Improving your heart's ability to pump blood effectively
Reducing the hardening and thickening of your arteries

Cutting back on sodium can improve your health in numerous ways. It's not always easy to go on a diet, but it can be vital for your well-being. Think of adopting a low-sodium diet as making a long-term lifestyle change that can improve your health in ways you might not imagine.

Tips for Cutting Back on Sodium

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On a low-sodium diet, your main goal is to cut back on the salt you consume. You can get started by reducing the amount of salt you add to your everyday cooking. In addition, you can also boost the flavor salt would normally add to food by using flavored vinegar, infused olive oil, herbs, spices and nuts instead. Adding these ingredients can help you get a little more creative with your cooking, too.

Try not to guess at the amount of salt you're adding to your food. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends consuming less than 1 teaspoon of salt per day. While you're cooking, always measure the salt out in a measuring spoon instead of estimating how much you're adding. In addition, try using half the amount of salt each recipe recommends.

Another way to cut back on salt? Eat more home-cooked meals instead of ordering food from restaurants. While cooking at home isn't always convenient, it helps you stay confident about what's in your food. You know how much salt (if any at all) is in a dish — something you can't be sure of when you're heading out of the drive-thru. When you do order restaurant food, ask for less salt. In addition, ask for sauces or dressings to be served on the side; these are common sources of excess salt and sugar.

You'll also want to stay hydrated throughout the day if you're eating less salt. A glass of cool water with a lime or lemon slice can quench your thirst and help limit cravings for salty food. This is especially important after exercising, having surgery or recovering from an illness.

Planning Your Low-Sodium Grocery List

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Get started with your low-sodium diet by planning your grocery shopping list. While you're out shopping, check nutrition labels and opt for items with fewer than 400 milligrams of sodium per serving. And, consider this low-sodium grocery list as you get started — you'll have your kitchen stocked with the essentials in no time:

Fresh fruits and vegetables, including apples, oranges, bananas, spinach, carrots and broccoli
Dried beans and peas, including kidney beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas and split peas
A variety of seasonings, including herbs, spices, garlic, onions, peppers, lemon and lime juices, and ginger
Canned vegetables that are low in sodium (be sure to check labels)
Whole grains, including brown or white rice, quinoa and barley
Vegetable oils, including canola, corn, olive and peanut
Chicken or turkey breast without skin or any marinade
Soy milk with added calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D
Whole-grain breakfast cereals with no added sugars
Whole-wheat or whole-grain pasta
Fat-free or low-fat milk and yogurt
Low-sodium chips and pretzels
Whole-grain bread and bagels
Low-sodium salad dressings
Lean cuts of beef or pork
Unsalted nuts and seeds
Low-sodium cheese
Fresh or frozen fish
Unsalted butter
Eggs

It may take some time for your palate to adjust to new flavors and less salt. But these changes are worth it for improving your health — and even your cooking skills!

Resource Links:

"Guidelines for a Low Sodium Diet | Patient Education," UCSF Health

"Salt and Sodium | The Nutrition Source," Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health

"Sodium in Your Diet," U.S. Food and Drug Administration