Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

Sodium in foods

The following information about the DASH eating plan is provided as a resource for client education. The complete document can be found here:

US Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health – National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Facts about the DASH Eating Plan http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf

 

Where is the sodium?

Only a small amount of sodium occurs naturally in foods. Most sodium is added during processing. The following table gives examples of the varying amounts of sodium in some foods.

 

Food Groups                                                                            Sodium (mg)

 

Grains and grain products

  • Cooked cereal, rice,  pasta, unsalted, ½ cup                                       0–5
  • Ready-to-eat cereal, 1 cup                                                                  100–360
  • Bread, 1 slice                                                                                                    110–175

Vegetables

  • Fresh or frozen, cooked without salt,  ½ cup                                      1–70
  • Canned or frozen with  sauce, ½ cup                                                  140–460
  • Tomato juice, canned ³⁄₄ cup                                                              820

Fruit

  • Fresh, frozen, canned, ½ cup                                                              0–5

Lowfat or fat free dairy foods

  • Milk, 1 cup                                                                                          120
  • Yogurt, 8 oz                                                                                                      160
  • Natural cheeses, 1½ oz                                                                                 110–450
  • Processed cheeses, 1½ oz                                                                             600

Nuts, seeds, and dry beans

  • Peanuts, salted, ⅓ cup                                                                        120
  • Peanuts, unsalted, ⅓ cup                                                                    0–5
  • Beans, cooked from dried, or frozen, without salt,  ½ cup                 0–5
  • Beans, canned, ½ cup                                                                         400

Meats, fish, and poultry

  • Fresh meat, fish, poultry, 3 oz                                                                     30–90
  • Tuna canned, water pack, no salt added, 3 oz                                         35–45
  • Tuna canned, water pack, 3 oz                                                                    250–350
  • Ham, lean, roasted, 3 oz                                                                               1,020
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