Patient/caregiver was educated on foods to avoid/observe moderation with 2-gram sodium diet as follows:
- Salt can act as a preservative, increase the shelf life of food items significantly, and so, is liberally added to many frozen meals and canned foods. Avoid all frozen meals and canned vegetables due to their high added salt content. Choose to have your meals and vegetables fresh, to avoid loading yourself with extra salt from frozen meals and canned foods. Even while choosing to pick frozen meals and canned vegetables from the aisle, pick the products with the label, reduced sodium or no salt added, to be compliant with the limited salt intake recommendation.
- Store bought broths and stocks used as the base for soups and stews or to flavor meat and vegetable dishes are very rich in added salt. While preparing them at home, by boiling bones or simmering meat, do not add any extra salt to the dish. While picking them at the store, pick the products with the label, reduced or low sodium, to be compliant with limited sodium intake recommendation.
- Avoid or observe moderation with all regular sauces, breakfast cereals, and bakery products that are bought ready to eat, as they can contain extra added salt to enhance the flavor. Check on the labels before doing the purchase and choose low salt or no salt added versions of these food items, in order to be consistent with limited sodium intake recommendation.
