What to Know About a Low-Sodium Diet — Including 9 Tips to Reduce Your Salt Intake

Sodium is a mineral and electrolyte found naturally in many foods. Your body needs sodium to maintain proper hydration, as well as for healthy kidney, muscle, and nerve function. But too much of a good thing can be harmful, and that’s true for salt. 

If you consume too much salt, you may notice short-term symptoms, like puffiness, increased thirst, bloating, and weight gain from fluid retention. And consuming high amounts of sodium in your diet over the long term can lead to health complications, like high blood pressure (hypertension), heart disease, and stroke. That’s why it’s important to know how much sodium you should consume daily and ways to limit sodium in your diet.

What is a low-sodium diet?

Following a low-sodium diet means limiting how much sodium you eat each day. Healthcare professionals often recommend this approach as a way to help manage blood pressure or improve heart or kidney health. But pretty much everyone can follow a low-sodium diet for better overall health. 

How much sodium is in a low-sodium diet?

Low-sodium diets typically limit sodium to 2,000 mg per day. 

For most people, the general recommendation is 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is about how much sodium is in 1 tsp of table salt. But guidelines vary depending on the organization. For example, the AHA suggests eating no more than 1,500 mg of sodium each day. 

Other definitions of “low-sodium” apply to individual foods. For example, when it comes to packaged foods, the American Heart Association (AHA) defines low-sodium foods as having less than 140 mg of sodium per serving. Eating foods that are naturally sodium-free or low in sodium can help you follow a low-sodium diet. 

Low-sodium foods

The following are examples of foods that are low in sodium or sodium-free. These foods are safe to eat as part of a low-sodium diet:

• Fresh, frozen, and dried fruits

• Fresh or frozen vegetables (unseasoned)

• Whole grains (like brown rice, quinoa, and oats)

• Fresh or frozen fish

• Fresh or frozen meat and poultry

• Eggs

• Healthy fats (like those in avocados and olive oil)

• Unsalted nuts and seeds (including unsalted nut or seed butters)

• Low-sodium canned beans (rinsed before using)

• Dairy products (like milk and yogurt)

• Drinks (like 100% fruit juice, coffee, and tea)

• Pasta noodles cooked in unsalted water

• Low-sodium crackers, chips, pretzels, and some other snack foods

• Unsalted popcorn

• Low-sodium ketchup, BBQ sauce, tomato sauce, and other condiments

• Low-sodium canned soups

• Low- or sodium-free seasonings (like garlic, ginger, and salt-free blends of herbs and spices)

Foods to avoid on a low-sodium diet

Ultra-processed, packaged foods and fast food often contain high amounts of sodium.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• How does salt affect your health? A doctor explains why your body needs salt and what happens when you get too much of it. 

• Looking for an alternative to salt? There are lots of salt substitutes that can enliven your foods without increasing your sodium intake. 

• What’s the DASH diet? The DASH diet encourages reducing how much sodium you get as a way to help treat or prevent high blood pressure. A dietitian shares tips on how to get started.

Other high-sodium foods include: 

• Deli meats

• Canned foods (like meats, soups, and beans)

• Fast food or convenience meals

• Frozen foods (like burritos and pizza)

• Snack foods (like popcorn, crackers, and chips)

• Salted nuts

• Condiments (like soy sauce, salad dressing, and BBQ sauce)

How to reduce your sodium intake

There are many steps you can take to reduce your sodium intake. Here are nine strategies to consider when starting a low-sodium diet.

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1. Follow the DASH diet 

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is an eating pattern specifically designed to treat or prevent high blood pressure. It prioritizes foods that are naturally low in sodium, like:

• Fruits 

• Vegetables

• Whole grains

• Legumes

It also emphasizes consuming certain amounts of low-fat dairy and healthy fats, while limiting processed foods. 

2. Read nutrition labels

When you’re grocery shopping, take the time to look at food labels before putting items in your basket. First, check the serving size of the item. Then, find the word “sodium” on the nutrition label, and look at the percentage listed next to it. This percentage is known as %Daily Value, or %DV. If this figure is 20% or higher, the item is a high-sodium food. 

When following a low-sodium diet, choose products with a %DV of 5% or less.

3. Decode nutrition claims

Marketing claims about sodium and salt on packaged foods can be confusing. Here’s a chart that can help you understand the different terms on packaging and the sodium content of packaged foods. 

4. Focus on magnesium and potassium

Focusing on whole foods and foods that are rich in minerals, like magnesium and potassium, can help your body get rid of some of the extra sodium in your diet. 

Magnesium and potassium are two important minerals found in many fruits and vegetables, beans, and lentils. A diet that’s both high in magnesium and potassium and low in sodium supports heart and kidney health. And it may help regulate blood pressure. 

5. Season your food with fresh herbs and spices, instead of salt

Many people use salt to bring out flavors in the food. But there are lots of salt alternatives that can help liven up your meals. Herbs and spices offer a lot of flavor without the added sodium. Have fun by trying out different combinations, such as:

• Garlic and thyme

• Basil and parsley

• Green chili, ginger, and garlic

• Cilantro, red chili, and garlic

• Sichuan peppercorns and nutritional yeast

You can also buy salt-free seasoning blends from the grocery store. 

6. Cook at home as often as possible

Most restaurant meals are very high in sodium. Cooking at home lets you control how much sodium you put in your meals. If you’re not experienced in the kitchen, consider getting a beginner’s cookbook or searching the internet for easy low-sodium recipes.

7. Limit packaged and ultra-processed foods

More than 70% of the U.S. population’s sodium intake comes from packaged foods and restaurant meals. Instead of buying pre-made packaged foods, try making your own versions at home. That way, you can control the ingredients and sodium content. For example, make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, and fruit — and no added salt.

8. Rinse excess salt off of packaged foods

If you buy canned foods, like tuna or beans, give them a rinse in the sink before you eat them. This can make a big difference. Research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that draining and rinsing canned corn, green beans, and peas reduced the sodium content by about 10% to 20%.

9. Order low-sodium dishes when dining out

Look at the menu before going to a restaurant and think about what dishes contain less sodium. You can also ask for your meal to be prepared without added salt. And request that all sauces and condiments come on the side. That way, you can control how much sodium you add to your plate.

Conditions that may benefit from a low-sodium diet

A diet high in sodium can bring many health risks, including a higher likelihood of hypertension, heart disease, and kidney disease. The good news is that lowering how much salt you consume can decrease your risk of developing high blood pressure and related conditions. If you already have one of these conditions, your healthcare team will likely recommend that you follow a low-sodium diet as part of your treatment plan.

Here’s a closer look at the relationship between sodium and these health conditions. 

Hypertension

Sodium pulls water into the bloodstream, which increases the volume of your blood. In turn, this can raise your blood pressure. High blood pressure can increase your risk of other serious health complications, such as heart attack and stroke. 

Nearly half of adults in the U.S. (around 120 million people) have high blood pressure. And each year, high blood pressure leads to nearly 700,000 deaths. So, it’s safe to say that most people can benefit from a low-sodium diet.

Heart disease

Both high blood pressure and fluid retention caused by a high-sodium diet force your heart to work harder to pump blood throughout your body. This can worsen heart failure and lead to complications.

In fact, research has found that there’s a 6% increase in a person’s risk of heart disease for every 1 g increase in their daily sodium intake. So, taking even small steps to reduce how much salt you can consume is a step in the right direction.

Kidney disease

Having hypertension from eating too much sodium is also a major risk factor for developing kidney disease. This is because high blood pressure can put more strain on your kidneys to filter out the extra sodium. In fact, unmanaged high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the U.S. Having even mildly elevated blood pressure can increase your risk.

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Written by:

Joanna Foley, RD

Joanna Foley, RD, is a registered dietitian (RD) and the owner of joannafoleynutrition.com, a private nutrition consulting business. She has previously worked as a clinical dietitian and outpatient renal dietitian.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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