Can Low Sodium Diet Help You Lose Weight

A low sodium diet may benefit people with certain health conditions, including kidney disease. Many foods fit with this diet, including fresh fruit and vegetables and whole eggs.

For example, a low-sodium diet is commonly prescribed to people with certain medical conditions, including heart failure, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

This article explains why a low-sodium diet is necessary for some people and reviews benefits, risks and foods to avoid and eat.

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Sodium is an essential mineral involved in many important bodily functions, including cellular function, fluid regulation, electrolyte balance and maintaining blood pressure (

Because this mineral is vital to life, your kidneys tightly regulate its levels based on the concentration (osmolarity) of bodily fluids (

Sodium is most concentrated in processed and packaged foods like chips, frozen dinners and fast food where salt is added during processing to enhance flavor.

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Another major contributor to sodium intake is adding salt to food when preparing meals in your kitchen and as a seasoning before eating.

When following a low-sodium diet, foods high in sodium must be limited or completely avoided to keep your sodium intake under the recommended level.

Summary Healthcare professionals recommend low-sodium diets to treat certain medical conditions. Sodium levels are typically restricted to less than 2–3 grams (2, 000–3, 000 mg) per day.

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If sodium and fluid levels become too high, pressure builds in your blood, which can cause further damage to already compromised kidneys (

For these reasons, The National Kidney Foundation recommends that all people with CKD restrict their sodium intake to less than 2 grams (2, 000 mg) per day (

A review of 11 studies in people with CKD found that moderate sodium restriction significantly reduced blood pressure and protein in the urine (a marker of kidney damage) (

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For example, a recent study in 766 people demonstrated that those with the highest urinary sodium excretion had the highest blood pressure levels (

A review of six studies in more than 3, 000 people showed that salt restriction lowered blood pressure in adults — with the strongest impact observed in those with high blood pressure (

Salt-sensitivity of people with high blood pressure varies widely and certain subgroups — such as African Americans — tend to be more impacted by high-salt diets (

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Eating too much salt could cause fluid overload in people with heart failure and lead to dangerous complications, such as shortness of breath.

Regulatory agencies recommend that people with mild heart failure limit their sodium intake to 3, 000 mg per day while those with moderate to severe heart failure should reduce their intake no more than 2, 000 mg daily (

However, while many studies have shown that low-sodium diets benefit those with heart failure, others have noted that non-restrictive diets lead to better outcomes.

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For example, a study in 833 people with heart failure found that a sodium-restricted diet with less than 2, 500 mg per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of death or hospitalization than unrestricted-sodium diets with 2, 500 mg or more per day (

Summary Low-sodium diets are commonly prescribed to people with kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure in order to manage symptoms and prevent complications.

Studies have shown that transitioning to a low-sodium diet can lead to small yet significant changes in blood pressure, especially in people with elevated levels.

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A review of 34 studies demonstrated that a modest reduction in salt intake for four or more weeks led to significant reductions in blood pressure in people with both high and normal levels (

In the participants with high blood pressure, the average reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 5.39 mmHg and 2.82 mmHg, respectively.

By comparison, people with normal levels noticed a 2.42 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure (the top number of a reading) and 1.00 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number of a reading) (

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A review of 76 studies in more than 6, 300, 000 people found that for every five-gram increase of dietary salt per day — from high-salt processed foods — the risk of stomach cancer increased by 12% (

On the other hand, a diet low in high-sodium processed foods and rich in fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stomach cancer (

Fast food, packaged items and frozen meals are not only loaded with salt but also tend to be high in unhealthy fats and calories.

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Though certain foods like vegetables and unprocessed meats naturally contain small amounts of sodium, it’s insignificant compared to the amount of sodium added to commercially prepared foods.

Summary Processed meats, cheese, frozen meals, fast foods and salty condiments are just some of the foods that are highest in sodium and should be avoided on a low-sodium diet.

If you follow a low-sodium diet, it’s important to choose foods that are naturally low in sodium or contain limited amounts of added salt.

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Major health organizations, such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend that adults consume no more than 2, 300 mg of salt per day and higher-risk groups, such as African Americans and older adults, no more than 1, 500 mg (20).

It’s clear that a reduced-sodium diet may decrease blood pressure in those with elevated levels and that high-salt diets increase stomach cancer risk, but evidence of other benefits of reducing this important mineral is conflicting.

For example, though sodium restriction is commonly used to treat heart failure, some studies have shown that reducing sodium can have a negative impact on patient health.

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A study in 833 people with heart failure demonstrated that restricting sodium to less than 2, 500 mg per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of death or hospitalization, compared to a non-restricted-sodium diet (

A review of 23 studies found that both high and low sodium intake was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and heart disease events (

Consuming too little salt may lead to increased cholesterol and triglycerides, insulin resistance and hyponatremia (too little sodium in the blood) (

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While avoiding high-sodium, unhealthy foods like fast food is always best for your health, it’s unnecessary for most healthy people to restrict sodium when following a balanced diet rich in whole foods.

Summary Restricting sodium too much may lead to elevated cholesterol levels, insulin resistance and hyponatremia. Some studies have shown that low-sodium diets negatively impact people with heart failure.

A study in 450 adults from different geographic areas found that commercial and restaurant foods eaten outside of the home accounted for 70.9% of total sodium intake (

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One of the best ways to reduce the amount of sodium in your diet is to control what goes into your food by cooking at home.

A study in more than 11, 000 adults found that those who cooked meals at home more frequently had lower body fat and better overall diet quality than people who ate fewer meals at home (

Summary Using fresh herbs, spices and citrus to flavor food and cooking more meals at home are helpful tips if you’re following a low-sodium diet.

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If you follow a low-sodium diet, choose fresh and avoid salty foods. Cooking more meals at home is another great way to control your salt intake, allowing you to stay within your physician’s recommendation.A lot of us happen to confuse water weight with fat weight. Water weight is one of the reasons why the weighing scale number keeps fluctuating up and down.

Losing weight can be a tedious task. Not only does it require constant monitoring of daily diet, but also calls for a proper workout regime. A few dietary tweaks can help you in the weight loss process. However, if you've gained a significant amount of weight over a period of few days, then it might just be water weight. Water retention makes you gain weight due to the presence of excess water in the body. One of the most common triggers behind water retention is an excess salty diet. According to Macrobiotic Health Coach and Nutritionist, Shilpa Arora, Modern day diets have excess sugar and salt content. Excess sodium holds toxins in the body leading to a host of diseases.

A lot of us happen to confuse water weight with fat weight. Water weight is one of the reasons why the weighing scale number keeps fluctuating up and down. It is advisable to have a salt-free dinner rather than going salt-free the entire day. According to book ' 101 Weight Loss Tips' by Dr. Shikha Sharma, a salt-free diet helps to shed weight by flushing out extra water from the body. This kind of weight loss is easy to rebound and difficult to maintain. The next proper meal you have will bring it back. Shilpa Arora also agrees, Sodium is an essential mineral required by the body. It's tough to go cold turkey; rather than opting for salt-free diets that are not sustainable, the best idea is to finish dinner by7 PMas the body will respond much better and address water retention and bloating in a better way.

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Having a salt-free dinner may rapidly reduce your water weight; however, such changes are short-term. According to Ayurveda expert, Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, Salt