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Low Sodium, Lowfat Diet

A meal plan low in fats and sodium is a very healthy diet, both for weight loss and for long-term health. Diets high in sodium have been linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Limiting sodium to a manageable level helps avoid these types of conditions. Avoiding fatty foods leads to weight-loss and remaining at a healthy body weight, which is beneficial to overall health.

  1. Low Sodium

    • According to Mayoclinic.com, sodium has three beneficial functions to the human body: it helps maintain a balance of fluids, it helps transmit nerve impulses, and it aids the contraction and relaxation of muscles. However, if a person consumes too much sodium, the excess can begin to accumulate in the blood. This raises the volume of fluid that the heart needs to pump through the blood vessels and increases the pressure on all parts of the circulatory system. According to Health.Harvard.edu, adults' daily intake of sodium should not exceed 2,400 mg, and Weight-Loss-Professional.com recommends low sodium dieters cut that to 500 to 1000 mg per day. Consumers looking for alternatives to sodium may be interested in potassium-based alternatives, though they should consult a doctor or nutritionist before trying them because they should not be used with some medications.

    Low Fat

    • Cutting your daily intake of fat is a very healthy choice as it can help you lose weight and keep it off. The recommended daily fat intake is 65 g for a 2,000 calorie diet and 53 g for a 1,600 calorie diet. If you want to lose weight using a low fat diet, you'll need to consume fewer grams of fat than the recommended intake per day. A lot of foods high in sodium are also high in fat, so avoiding both with a low fat, low sodium diet is fairly easy. Weight-Loss-Professionals.com recommends avoiding canned soup and vegetables, lunch meats, bacon and snack foods like chips and cookies. Some healthy, low fat, low sodium-friendly foods include fresh fruit and vegetables, salads---avoiding commercial dressings that can contain high amounts of sodium---pasta and yogurt. There are numerous recipe books available that are specific to low fat, low sodium diets, such as the "American Heart Association Low-Salt Cookbook" and "The Low Sodium Cook Book" by Alma Payne Ralston and Dorothy Callahan.

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