General Nutrition Guidelines (orig)
Low Sodium Diet for Infants, Toddlers, and Children
General Guidelines
Many people with NDI follow a 300-500 mg sodium per day diet. (Compare this to the 2000 mg sodium per day guideline that is recommended for most Americans.)
A diet pattern with 500 mg sodium per day should include foods from all food groups. Select foods low in
sodium by following some general guidelines and the Food Guide Pyramid:
FATS AND SWEETS:
? Use unsalted butter or margerine.
? Eat sweets not made with salt.
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MEAT:
? Do not use processed meat.
? Do not add salt during preparation.
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MILK AND DAIRY:
? Limit milk intake.
? Use unsalted cheese.
VEGETABLES:
? Use fresh vegetables.
? Check the label of frozen and canned vegetables. food3.gif - 3830 Bytes FRUITS:
? Eat plenty of fresh, frozen, or canned fruits.
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BREADS & CEREALS:
? Use unsalted products.
? Use low sodium baking powder.
* Softened water (water treated in a softener) can contain large amounts of sodium. Don't use softened water for ice cubes or for food preparation.
* Kosher meats and poultry are soaked in salt water. Look for low sodium Kosher products.
A QUICK "RULE OF THUMB"... Use the values below to make a quick estimate of sodium intake. (These are values for foods that are prepared without salt and/or are reduced or low sodium products.)
| Milk/Dairy Products | 80 mg sodium per cup |
| Breads and Cereals | 80 mg sodium per 1/2 cup |
| Meat (plain) | 25 mg sodium per ounce |
| Vegetables | 15 mg sodium per 1/2 cup |
| Fruits | trace amounts of sodium |