Patient/caregiver was educated on measures to be considered for compliance with 2-gram sodium diet recommendation as follows:
- Bread and bakery products like pizza, sandwich buns, dinner rolls, biscuits, bagels, pancakes, waffles, pretzels, and tortillas are very rich in sodium content, due to the additives added in the baking process. Also, more salt is added to these products as topping. In addition to this, a lot of ingredients that go with pizzas & sandwiches, such as, cheese, sauces, pepperoni, and processed meat, are very rich in salt content and contribute further to increased salt intake. Choosing smaller portions of bread and bakery items can significantly contribute towards reduced sodium intake and compliance with limited salt diet recommendation.
- Dairy products, such as, buttermilk, cottage cheese, and processed cheese are very high in salt content. Blue cheese, feta cheese, and halloumi cheese are varieties of cheese heavy in salt content. Avoid or observe strict moderation with consumption of these products, to be compliant with the recommendation for limited salt intake. While picking cheese, select from the list of cheese low on salt content, such as, cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, swiss cheese, parmesan cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and goat cheese. Also, pick the products with the label, reduced or low salt/sodium.
- While picking meat, choose to have your meat fresh versus processed/cured/smoked/cold cut deli. Strictly avoid all processed/cured/smoked/cold cut deli meats such as, hot dogs, sausages, ham, corned beef, bologna, salami, bratwurst, blood sausages, jerky meats, smoked fish, caviar, and liverwurst, as loads of salt are added to them during the processing and curing. Even while choosing to eat processed/cured/smoked/cold cut deli meats, pick the products with the label, reduced or low sodium.
