Low Sodium Diet 
LOW SODIUM DIET
For Patients with Meniere’s Disease
By: Kim Pollock, RN, MBA, CORLN; Hope Andresen, RN
Your body, including the inner ear (labyrinth), requires a very accurate balance of fluids to ensure proper functioning. Meniere’s Disease and some other inner ear disorders, are thought to be a result of an imbalance in inner ear fluids (endolymph and perilymph) in the inner ear.
The amount of sodium (salt) is one of the many factors which regulates the balance of fluid in your body. Sodium causes you to retain fluid which disrupts the delicate balance between endolymph and perilymph in the inner ear.
The subsequent inner ear fluid imbalance causes the fine membranes (Reissner’s membrane) of the inner ear to rupture, which results in symptoms of hearing loss, ringing or unwanted noise in your ear (tinnitus), a feeling of pressure or fullness in your ear, and balance disturbance or vertigo.
STEPS TO MANAGING A LOW SODIUM DIET
A 2 gram (gm) per day, or 2000milligram (mg) sodium diet is recommended to help reduce the amount of fluid in your body and inner ear.
- Familiarize yourself with the quantity of sodium in your food selection.
- Plan your menu for a week. By totaling your sodium intake over a week, you can add or subtract as needed to meet the 2gm/day limit.
- Read all labels when purchasing food.
- When eating out, ask for low salt entrees and that no salt be added during food preparation. Order foods without gravy or skin.
- Experiment with salt substitutes or common spices to enhance the taste of your food.
- Avoid medications which contain sodium such as some antacids, cough syrups, laxatives or sedatives.
ALTERNATE NAMES FOR SODIUM (Don’t let names fool you!)
| Substance |
Use |
| Brine |
Inhibits growth of bacteria in food |
| Cl-Sodium Phosphate |
Used in cereals and cheese |
| Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) |
Preservative/Flavor enhancer |
| NaCl (Sodium Chloride) |
Chemical symbol for salt: season, can, process food |
| Sodium Alginate |
Smoothes texture of chocolate milk/ice cream |
| Sodium Benzoate |
Preservative in condiments |
| Sodium Bicarbonate |
Baking Soda, leavening agent |
| Sodium Caseinate |
Used as a thickener & binder |
| Sodium Citrate |
Buffer used in soft drinks to control acidity |
| Sodium Hydrozide |
Soften or loosen skin of fruits & vegetables |
| Sodium Nitrate |
Curing agent in meats, prevents botulism |
| Sodium Phosphate |
Used as a buffer |
| Sodium Propionate |
Inhibits growth of bacteria & mold |
| Sodium Saccharine |
An artificial sweetener |
| Sodium Sulfite |
Preservative in dried fruits |
FOODS THAT ARE HIGH IN SODIUM
| Food |
Serving |
Sodium |
| KFC Chicken Filet |
1 sandwich |
2,732 mg |
| Cream of Chicken Soup |
1 can |
2,397 mg |
| Table Salt |
1 teaspoon |
2,300 mg |
| Burger King Whopper |
1 sandwich |
1,435 mg |
| Corned Beef Hash |
1 ½ oz. |
1,420 mg |
| Arby’s Roast Beef |
1 sandwich |
1,304 mg |
| Meat Loaf Dinner |
1 frozen |
1,276 mg |
| Pizza |
2 slices |
1,100 mg |
| Ham |
3 oz. |
1,010 mg |
| Soy Sauce |
1 tablespoon |
1,024 mg |
| Morton’s Lite Salt |
1 teaspoon |
1,100 mg |
| McDonald’s Big Mac |
1 sandwich |
1,010 mg |
| Tomato Soup |
1 cup |
932 mg |
| Dill Pickle |
1 medium |
928 mg |
| Chicken Pot Pie |
1 frozen |
907 mg |
| Bouillon |
1 cube |
864 mg |
| Baking Soda |
1 teaspoon |
821 mg |
| Wendy’s Hamburger |
1 sandwich |
774 mg |
| Pepperoni |
1 oz. |
580 mg |
| Cottage Cheese |
½ cup |
487 mg |
| Instant Mashed Potatoes |
|
485 mg |
| Hot Dog |
1 Beef Link |
460 mg |
| Popcorn, microwave |
3 cups |
420 mg |
| Tuna, canned |
3 oz. |
384 mg |
| Corn, canned |
1 cup |
384 mg |
| Pastrami |
1 oz. |
330 mg |
| Salami |
1 oz. |
328 mg |
| English Muffin |
1 |
293 mg |
| Bologna |
1 oz. |
284 mg |
| Buttermilk |
1 cup |
257 mg |
| Tomato Juice |
4 oz. |
243 mg |
| Bacon |
1 slice |
180 mg |
| Peanuts |
1 oz. |
180 mg |
| Relish |
1 oz. |
148 mg |
| Margarine |
1 tablespoon |
140 mg |
| Milk |
1 cup |
122 mg |
| Butter, salted |
1 tablespoon |
116 mg |
| Catsup |
1 teaspoon |
115 mg |
| Bread, white |
1 slice |
114 mg |
| Mustard |
1 teaspoon |
63 mg |
FOODS THAT ARE LOW IN SODIUM
| Food |
Serving |
Sodium |
| Chicken |
½ breast |
69 mg |
| Pork |
3 oz. |
59 mg |
| Steak |
3 oz. |
55 mg |
| Tuna, fresh |
3 oz. |
50 mg |
| Avocado |
1 avocado |
21 mg |
| White Wine, domestic |
4 oz. |
19 mg |
| Water, tap |
1 cup |
12 mg |
| Corn, raw |
1 ear |
14 mg |
| Rice, brown, cooked |
1 cup |
10 mg |
| Tomato, raw |
1 medium |
10 mg |
| Radish, raw |
½ cup |
9 mg |
| Cauliflower, raw |
½ cup |
8 mg |
| Potato, raw |
4 oz. |
7 mg |
| Bread, low sodium, white |
1 slice |
7 mg |
| Cabbage, raw |
½ cup |
6 mg |
| Applesauce |
1 cup |
6 mg |
| Okra, boiled |
½ cup |
4 mg |
| Squash, baked, acorn |
½ cup |
4 mg |
| Butter, unsalted |
1 tablespoon |
2 mg |
| Coffee |
6 oz. |
2 mg |
| Eggplant |
1 cup |
2 mg |
| Lettuce, iceberg |
2 oz. |
2 mg |
| Spaghetti, cooked |
1 cup |
2 mg |
| Apple, raw |
5 oz. |
1 mg |
| Apricot, raw |
3 |
1 mg |
| Asparagus |
4 spears |
1 mg |
| Banana |
1 |
1 mg |
| Cucumber, raw |
½ cup |
1 mg |
| Cranberry Juice |
1 cup |
1 mg |
| Grapes, seedless |
10 |
1 mg |
| Mushrooms, raw |
½ cup |
1 mg |
| Popcorn, unsalted |
1 cup |
1 mg |
| Oatmeal, regular |
¾ cup |
1 mg |
| Onions, raw |
1 tablespoon |
0 mg |
SALT SUBSTITUTES: Try These Instead of Salt
Lawry’s “A Natural Choice”
Norcliff Thayer “”No-Salt”
Morton “Salt Substitute”
“Mrs. Dash”: variety of herbs-salt free
Thyme: lean meats, sauces, soups, salads, tomatoes, onions, peas
Basil: fish, lamb, lean meats, stews, salads, soups, sauces, fish
Chives: Salads, sauces, soups, lean meats, vegetables
Cinnamon: fruits, apples, breads, pie crusts
Curry: lean meats, tomatoes, tomato soup, mayonnaise
Dill: fish sauces, soups, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, salads, macaroni, chicken, fish. beef
Garlic: (not garlic salt) lean meats, fish, poultry, salads, vegetables
Lemon Juice: lean meats, fish, poultry, salads, vegetables
Mustard (dry): lean meats, chicken, fish, salads, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, mayonnaise, saucS