SODIUM DIET

WHAT IS SODIUM?

Sodium is a part of salt. Sodium is found in many canned, packaged, and “fast” foods. It is also found in many condiments, seasonings, and meats.

WHY IS SODIUM IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WITH CKD?

Eating less sodium helps lower blood pressure and may slow down CKD. Your blood pressure goal should be below 130/80.

One of the kidneys’ important jobs is to filter sodium out of the body and into the urine. Damaged kidneys cannot filter as well as healthy kidneys can. This can cause sodium to stay in your body and make your blood pressure go up and can also cause swollen ankles, puffiness, shortness of breath, and/or fluid around your heart and lungs.

HOW MUCH SODIUM SHOULD I EAT EVERYDAY?

Your diet should contain less than 1,150 milligrams of sodium each day, or the amount of sodium in one teaspoon of salt. Much of the sodium you eat does not come from a salt shaker. Sodium is added to the prepared foods you buy at the supermarket or eat at restaurants.

HOW DO I LOWER THE SODIUM IN MY DIET?

• Buy fresh foods more often.
• Cook foods from scratch, instead of prepared foods, “fast” foods, frozen dinners, and canned foods that are higher in sodium.
• Use spices, herbs, and sodium-free seasonings in place of salt. Check with your healthcare provider about using salt substitutes.

• Rinse canned vegetables, beans, meats, and fish with water to remove excess sodium.

• Always read the Nutrition Facts label to compare foods. Choose foods with the lowest Percent Daily Value (%DV) for sodium. The %DV lets you see if a food is high or low in sodium. 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high. Check the label on fresh meats and poultry. Sodium additives can be used to make meat last longer.

• Look for foods labeled: sodium free, salt free, very low sodium, low sodium, reduced or less sodium, light in sodium, no salt added, unsalted and lightly salted.

• There may be more than one serving in the package, so be sure to check serving size. This number tells you the %DV for sodium in one serving

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