The Low Salt website has low sodium recipes to help keep your heart healthy. Let us provide you with low sodium diet information, salt intake and low salt recipes for your health and heart. Here you'll find some low sodium meals, low salt foods and salt substitute for your high blood pressure diet that are not only tasty but quick and easy to make. We're always adding more food salt substitutes, sodium content, salt diet and cooking recipe ideas for eating healthy, so check back often for more lowsalt cooking recipes.

Why are people on Lowsalt Diets

Low Sodium and Low Salt Diets are often recommended to help lower high blood pressure. A common source of sodium in your diet is salt added to foods. A low sodium diet limits the amount of sodium in your diet to no more than 2400 milligrams per day. This is less half the amount of sodium in the average diet.

Low Salt Diet: Healthy Heart Recipes, Cooking

You can reduce the amount of sodium in your diet by doing the following:

• Read labels carefully. Look for any form of sodium or salt and choose foods that have less salt.
• Avoid eating fast foods. Fast foods are normally very high in salt, as are many other restaurant foods. When eating at restaurants, choose fish, vegetables or salads.
• Eat at home. It's almost impossible to control the amount of sodium in foods prepared by others.
• Avoid processed foods. Fresh meat, produce, fish are normally low in salt and sodium. Highly processed meals such as frozen dinners and canned soups are often high in sodium.
• A very simple low salt diet practice: Don't add table salt to food!

Low Sodium Label guidelines set by the FDA

Food labeling has been standardized by the U.S. government's National Labeling and Education Act. Nutrition labels and a list of ingredients are required on most foods. This way it is easier make a selection of healthy low-salt foods and low sodium meals. If you can't tell how much sodium is in a product, ask your doctor or dietitian, to show you how to read food labels and apply the information when selecting foods for your low sodium or reduced sodium diet.

Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving

35 milligrams or less per serving

140 milligrams or less per serving

Usual sodium level is reduced by 25%

Sodium in your Low Salt Diet

Sodium is a mineral found naturally in many foods. Most people eat far more sodium each day than they really need. Your health care provider may recommend that you limit your sodium intake to less than 2400mg of sodium per day. Following a low salt diet can help control high blood pressure hypertension and also help reduce the retention of too much water in the body.

Low Salt Foods List: Sodium Content

Sodium Content: Vegetables

Sodium Content: Fruits Low in Salt

Sodium Content Proteins; Low Sodium Beef

Sodium Content of Grains: Wheat, Pasta, Rice

Sodium Content Dairy: Low Salt Milk Products

When buying milk and other dairy goods, try to find low sodium or low salt dairy products that are also low in fat. Many producers are now making low-fat or reduced sodium brands of yogurt, milk and cheese. To help in reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet, look for milk that is 1%-low or 2% low-fat. You can also try skim milk, although slightly higher in sodium, skim milk is lower in fat and cholesterol than whole milk. Egg whites are not high in fat and cholesterol, but egg yolks should be avoided for a low salt diet. A low cholesterol egg substitute may be used in low salt diet recipes when cooking or preparing meals.

Low Salt Diet Planner

When planning your low sodium or low salt diet, you should choose foods following these general guidelines for a nutritional and healthy diet:

Vegetables

five servings per day

Fruit

five servings per day

Proteins

three servings per day

Grains

five servings per day

Dairy Products

two servings per day

Sample Low Salt Diet Menu

Recipes and Seasoning

Always try to use fresh ingredients and foods with no salt added. Stay away from processed foods such as canned soups, vegetables, frozen dinners, and gravy sauces. If you're eating processed foods, then use only low sodium or low salt canned soups and fresh or frozen, no salt added salt canned vegetables.

Eating Out: Low Salt

When eating out at restaurants, choose steamed fish, chicken, vegetables or salads.

Low Sodium Salt Alternatives

Ask your doctor about using salt alternatives or a salt substitute. Salt alternatives often contain potassium which may cause harmful interactions if you are taking certain medications.