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Sodium 

Tips for People with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) 

National Kidney Disease

Education Program

What Is Sodium?

Sodium is a part of salt. Sodium is found in many canned, packaged, and 

“fast” foods. It is also found in many condiments, seasonings, and meats. 

Why Is Sodium Important for People with CKD?

Eating less sodium helps lower blood pressure and may slow down CKD. Talk with your 

provider about the right blood pressure goal for you. 

One of the kidneys’ important jobs is to filter sodium out of the body and into the urine. 

Damaged kidneys cannot filter as well as healthy kidneys can. This can cause sodium to stay 

in your body and make your blood pressure go up.

How Much Sodium Should I Eat Every Day?

Most people need to eat less sodium than they are eating. Aim for less than 1,500 

milligrams of sodium each day. Much of the sodium you eat does not come from 

a salt shaker. Sodium is added to the prepared foods you buy at the supermarket or 

at restaurants.

Foods Lower in Sodium 

l Fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables l Rice, noodles l Cooked cereal without added salt 

l Fresh meat, poultry, seafood l Low-fat, low-sodium cheese l Unsalted nuts 

l Low- and reduced-sodium frozen dinners, peanut butter, salad dressings l Air-popped popcorn

Foods Higher in Sodium 

l Bacon, corned beef, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meat, sausage l Bouillon, canned, and instant soups 

l Boxed mixes, like hamburger meals and pancake mix l Canned beans, chicken, fish and meat 

l Canned tomato products, including juice l Canned and pickled vegetables, vegetable juice 

l Cottage cheese l Frozen meals l Frozen vegetables with sauce l Olives, pickles, relish 

l Pretzels, chips, crackers, salted nuts l Salt and salt seasonings, like garlic salt 

l Seasoning mix and sauce packets l Soy sauce l Salad dressings, bottled sauces, marinades 

l Some ready-to-eat cereals, baked goods, breads l Ready-to-eat boxed meals and side dishes

NKDEP_NutritionFactsheets_Sodium_Sept_v41.indd 1 9/2/11 
How Do I Lower the Sodium in My Diet? 

Buy fresh foods more often. 

Cook foods from scratch, instead of eating prepared foods, 

“fast” foods, frozen dinners, and canned foods that are higher in sodium. 

Use spices, herbs, and sodium-free seasonings in place of salt. Check with your 

healthcare provider about using salt substitutes.

Rinse canned vegetables, beans, meats, and fish with water to remove extra sodium. 

Always read the Nutrition Facts label to compare foods. 

Choose foods with the lowest Percent Daily Value (%DV) 

for sodium. The %DV lets you see if a food is high or low 

in sodium. 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.

Check the label on fresh meats and poultry. 

Sodium additives can be used to 

make meat last longer. 

Look for foods labeled: sodium free, salt free, 

very low sodium, low sodium, reduced or less 

sodium, light in sodium, no salt added, unsalted, 

and lightly salted. 

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Sodium 

Vitamin C 2%

Iron 4%

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 cup (228g)

Servings Per Container: 2

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 260 Calories from Fat: 120

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20 %

 Saturated Fat 5g 25 %

 Trans Fat 2g 

Cholesterol 30mg 10 %

Sodium 660mg 28 %

Total Carbohydrate 31g 10%

 Dietary Fiber 0g 0 %

 Sugars 5g 

Protein 5g

Vitamin A 4% • 

Calcium 15% • * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 

 calorie diet.

There may b

more than on

serving in th

package, so b

sure to check 

serving size.

This number 

tells you the 

% DV for 

sodium in 

one serving.

NKDEP_NutritionFactsheets_Sodium_Sept_v41.indd 2 9/2/11 

Check the Ingredient Label for Added Sodium

Salt (sodium chloride) Monosodium glutamate or MSG Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) 

Baking powder Sodium nitrate Sodium sulfite Sodium phosphate Sodium alginate

Sodium benzoate Sodium hydroxide Sodium propionate

The National Kidney Disease Education Program 

(NKDEP) encourages people to get tested for kidney 

disease and educates those with kidney disease and 

their providers about treatments that can help delay 

or prevent kidney failure. NKDEP is a program of 

the National Institutes of Health. 

NIH Publication No. 11-7407 • Revised September 2011

For more information, visit www.nkdep.nih.gov or call 1-866-4 KIDNEY (1-866-454-3639). 

U.S. Department of Health 

and Human Services

National Institutes of Health National Kidney Disease

Education Program