DIETS FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS: LOW SALT/SODIUM

Question 1

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LOW SALT DIET?

Answer 1

a sodium-restricted diet is designed to reduce the sodium or salt content in the diet.

Question 2

WHEN IS A LOW SODIUM DIET INDICATED

Answer 2

• Hypertension
• Oedema
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Diseases associated with fluid imbalance (kidney and liver diseases)

Question 3

NOTES TO CONSIDER WHEN IMPLEMENTING A LOW SODIUM DIET

Answer 3

EXPERIMENT WITH HERBS AND SPICES THAT DO NOT CONTAIN SALT FOR EXAMPLE PARSLEY
WHEN DINING OUT ASK THAT FOOD GETS PREPARED WITHOUT ADDING SALT
TAKE TIME TO READ LABELS
CONSULT A DIETITIAN

Question 4

BEVERAGES ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 4

ALLOWED:
Skim, whole and evaporated milk
Tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages with doctors permission.
plain or flavoured yoghurt
TO AVOID:
instant chocolate or flavoured milk drinks
condensed milk, butter milk
artificially flavoured drinks

Question 5

BREAD, CEREALS, STARCHES ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 5

ALLOWED:
Bread, bread rolls, unsalted crackers, homemade salt free biscuits
oats, mealie meal, maltabella
Barley, flour, pasta, rice, potato, unsalted popcorn
TO AVOID:
salted crackers, commercial made biscuits
salted snacks
Self-raising flour

Question 6

CHEESE ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 6

ALLOWED:
RESTRICT TO 30g/day
ulsalted ricotta or cottage cheese may be used freely
TO AVOID: 
Cheddar, sweet milk and feta

Question 7

EGGSALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 7

ALLOWED:

ANY FORM

Question 8

VEGETABLES ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 8

ALLOWED:
All fresh and frozen vegetables
TO AVOID:
All canned vegetables, tomato juice, sauerkraut, spinach ad celery

Question 9

FRUIT ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 9

ALLOWED:
Fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruit and fruit juices to listed in avoid colomn
TO AVOID:
Frozen, canned or juices reserved with sodium ad fruit juice-dairy mixes

Question 10

OILS TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT DIET

Answer 10

SALTED BUTTER AND MARGARINE, SALAD DRESSINGS, MAYO

Question 11

MEAT, FISH AND POULTRY ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SALT/SODIUM DIET

Answer 11

ALLOWED:
Fresh, frozen meat, poulty, and fish. 
eggs 3-4x per week
Dried peas, beans and lentils
Unsalted nuts
TO AVOID:
Cried meat and worse
Canned smoked and processed meats
Tinned, salted and dried fish
Commercially made pies
salted nuts and peanutbutter

Question 12

COOKING METHODS ALLOWED AND TO AVOID IN A LOW SODIUM/SALT DIET

Answer 12

ALLOWED:
•	Steaming
•	Grilling
•	Poaching
•	Baking

TO AVOID:
FRYING