Low sodium diets are typically prescribed for those who cannot excrete enough sodium to maintain a normal balance. Your kidneys will normally "concentrate" your urine to get rid of excess sodium and lose as little water as possible, but when the amount of sodium in your body exceeds the kidneys' ability to do this, sodium backs up. Your body then hoards water to dilute the sodium, which leads to puffiness, elevated blood pressure, and other health consequences.
The idea behind a sodium-restricted diet is to minimize the sodium accumulation, allowing your body to flush out the excess and bring your balance back into line.
Unless your doctor prescribes a reduction in fluid intake (as happens in those with kidney disease), a simple assist is to drink more water every day. This may cause you to retain more fluid for the first few hours, but in the long run it makes it easier for your kidneys to excrete the excess sodium (because your body won't have to concentrate your urine anymore).
If you still need to reduce your sodium intake, it is not the end of flavor in food. Rather, it should be viewed as a reason to try out new foods, experiment with new flavors, and find new ways to love the foods you crave.
Unfortunately, however, you have to give up a few things you may have gotten used to. The "give up" is tough; it includes almost all packaged snacks (like chips, salted pretzels, salted nuts), most processed foods (like soups, mac-and-cheese, lunchmeats, and frozen dinners), and most restaurant foods. It means no salt on your potatoes, no Chinese, no deli meats.
No bacon
You also have to pay attention to labels. When the can/bag/box says "250 mg sodium per serving", you better check out what a serving is. If there are 3 servings in the can/bag/box, then you'll suck up 750 mg of sodium if you eat the whole thing... which is a big chunk of the 1-2 grams of sodium allowed in most salt-restricted diets.
You also have to take into accout non-food items. If you use nasal sprays or saline solution for any medical reason, you should know how much sodium you're ingesting. If you like diet drinks or sugar-free candy or gum, you need to take the amount of saccharine (sodium saccharine, to be precise) into account. And many seasoning blends you use should be checked for their sodium content. This can leave some big holes in the way you live.
There are many ways to make up for the food voids and leave you feeling satisfied, however. You just need to appreciate that flavor has many components, and salt is only one of them. Trying out (and learning to appreciate) the other elements is the way to make a low-sodium diet work.
THINK SOUR
Most people consider vinegar to be an ingredient in salad dressings and nothing more. But there are vinegars that provide a great accent without the pucker. A fantastic accent is malt vinegar, which is popular in England. Malt vinegar has a pleasant sweetness that goes great with potatoes, seafood, and vegetables. Try sprinkling a bit on a baked potato or some broccoli. You'll be surprised at the wonderful flavor.
Also, try rice vinegar. It's far less biting than cider vinegar, and has a sweet and mildly "salty" quality of its own (without the salt!).
And don't hesitate to try balsamic vinegar. It's an excellent companion to meats, fish, and even bread! Sprinkle a little on the side of your plate to accent each bite for a tiny taste of heaven. One warning, however; a good balsamic can cost a few dollars, but you don't need to use much. It's actually a good value.
There are great flavored vinegars infused with berries, citrus rind, spices, and herbs. These add interesting and delicious notes to almost any food. Red wine vinegar infused with rosemary and sage is a potent flavoring that mates well with meats and fish.
Lemon and lime juices work well with many foods. Opt for wedges of fresh fruit you can squeeze on your food as needed, rather than including them in recipes.
THINK HOT
One of the best alternatives a hot sauce like Tabasco. A few drops on eggs or a stir-fry will banish any thought of salt from your mind.
Fresh ground pepper goes a long way, too. Pepper and unsalted butter on a potato will almost make you forget that there's no salt.
And if you can get your hands on some smoked paprika, you'll have a wonderful surprise. It has a fragrant, rich, satisfying quality that not only replaces salt, but also improves the flavor in ways salt could never approach.
There are some heady spice blends that can add a lot of punch to any dish. A sprinkle of salt-free Cajun or Szechuan seasonings will liven up most any dinner or lunch item.
THINK FAT
It doesn't take much fat to make food more satisfying. A sprinkle of good olive oil (use extra virgin) can make vegetables (or any dish, for that matter) wonderful.
A smear of unsalted butter can give noodles and vegetables a new level of flavor without much added sodium. A compound butter (which has been blended with pureed garlic, herbs, onion powder, or other flavors) can lift that "small smear" to new levels.
Try sesame and walnut oils to add new flavors to old favorites. They have a nutty character that accents pasta, vegetables, and fish.
And don't forget sour cream. You only need a dab blended with a little nonfat milk to make a tasty sauce for potatoes and vegetables. Add some snipped chives for a salt-free and satisfying side.
Think of fats more as carriers of flavors than as flavors on their own. Try infused oils (those flavored with herbs, spices, or fruits) or let your fatty dressings marinate with garlic, onion, or herbs.
THINK SMOKE
It's amazing how a drop of liquid smoke can make a soup, stew, or casserole so much richer. The aroma creates an illusion of bacon and ham that satisfies the craving for salt. Pair it with a spicy element like chili peppers or fresh black pepper, and you won't notice the absence of salt. But be careful; one drop may be good, but two drops can be overwhelming.
Shaving smoked cheese onto a dish or tossing it in pasta adds little sodium if you don't go overboard, but adds a whole new level of satisfaction.
THINK PUNGENT
Smoked cheeses are not the only ones worth using. It doesn't take much of an aged Parmesan or Romano, freshly grated at the table, to give extra life to vegetables, pasta, meats, and fish.
Experiment with bleu cheeses like Stilton or Maytag (yes, "Maytag" like the appliances, it's one of the best to be found.). Blue cheese turns potatoes, vegetables, and other dishes from ordinary to amazing.
Anchovies are salty on their own, but a single anchovy minced and added to a pot of tomato sauce adds little salt and a lot of flavor. Ditto for oil-cured olives and salt-cured capers.
Prepared horseradish often contains salt, but the amount is minimal when you consider the tiny quantity of the condiment needed. Mix horseradish with mayo for a lively sandwich spread for beef, pork, and fish.
Grated ginger is a staple of Asian cooking, and livens up salad dressings, cooked vegetables, poultry, and pork.
And don't forget mustards. Many have no added salt, but pack a big flavor punch.
THINK HERBS AND SPICES
Every low-sodium diet suggests experimenting with these flavors, but they don't give any direction. Here are some ideas:
Sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano, and mustard seed can more than make up for the flavor of salt. Basil (the more the better) works wonders with plain tomatoes. Ground cardamom sauted in a little butter adds wonderful flavor to cooked vegetables, and some grated nutmeg adds a huge kick to potato dishes. Warm a little olive oil with a pinch of brown sugar, a clove, and some cinnamon, then drizzle over sweet potatoes, squash, or carrots for a treat.
THINK SWEET
Dishes you normally eat salty can be just as tasty when served sweet. Potatoes glazed with a touch of brown sugar and tarragon, beans baked with unsalted tomato puree, molasses, and a touch of liquid smoke, pork with a touch of maple syrup, and chicken served with a garnish of orange marmalade need no salt whatsoever.
Pair sweet foods with sour or spicy dishes, because too much sweetness in a meal can be tiresome. An orange-juice marinated chicken breast can be magical, but not if it's served with glazed carrots and sweet potatoes. Instead, serve it with broccoli sprinkled with a bit of garlic-infused vinegar and some rice cooked with sunflower seeds and paprika. The variety of flavors will keep your palate dancing and distract you from your expectations of salt.
A FINAL NOTE ON BP MANAGEMENT
Increasing your intake of potassium and magnesium have been shown to be effective in managing blood pressure. Great sources for these minerals are potatoes, bananas, citrus products, dried fruit, leafy vegetables, and whole grains.
Snacking on trail mix that contains raisins and dried apricots mixed with salty sesame sticks and nuts will not do the trick. Whole-wheat pretzels with salt will do you no good. Potato chips or salted fries will leave you with excess sodium even though they have a lot of potassium. You need to reduce sodium, and there is no excuse allowed in your selection of foods.
If you are on a reduced sodium diet, then reduce the sodium. Bumping up your potassium intake will not replace reducing sodium.
AND FINALLY
The desire for salt is ancient, going back to our pre-human genetic roots. Animals gather at salt licks to get their fix, and this is a widely-used hunting technique to lure game to a hunting site (just put a block of salt out if you build it, they will come). This is because in a natural setting, there's usually not enough salt to fill a body's needs.
We live in a society today that offers us the availability of nutrients we found scarce in our more primitive states, but we are still animals. Our bodies still work off animal processes and have the same animal requirements. So we consume over 10 grams of salt a day in our food, while our body remembers an ancient time when it was a struggle to get the 500 mg a day or so that we need. This is why we still crave the stuff.
In our culture today, salt is everywhere. We get enough of it every day, but our body craves the flavor, and we seek it out. Our society and technology has advanced to the point where salt is not a rarity, but an expectation, and many of us gorge on the stuff with no realization that we are throwing our whole being out of whack.
If you find yourself confronted with a low-sodium diet, consider it a wake-up call. You have strayed too far from the diet your body needs, and overindulged in the diet your body has come to expect.
It's time to taste the rest of the world.