Low Sodium: Kidney Stone Prevention Recommendations

High Sodium diets may cause elevated Calcium in your urine.  Sodium intake of 2300 mg or less per day is usually recommended for those with kidney stones.  This may sound like a restriction; however, it is the same recommendation for the general population.

Decreasing sodium intake is critically important, yet this is one of the most ignored recommendations.  Why?  There are so many reasons, but I think most people don’t know where to begin.  Let me fix that!

Salt:

When most think of sodium, the first thing that comes to mind is usually table salt.  Yes, table salt (or Sodium Chloride) is very high in sodium.  1 teaspoon of salt contains about 2300 mg! 

Does this mean table salt should never be used?  Nope.  It can be a great choice.  Before you click away, allow me to explain.

Buying whole foods and cooking them at home is the number 1 most effective way to lower your sodium intake.  Imagine buying uncooked rice, raw chicken, fresh carrots and celery, then cooking them into a nice soup.  The rice, chicken and vegetables have just a tiny amount of natural sodium in them.  In this situation, you can add a pinch of table salt in the large soup pot for just the right touch. 

Even if you are only able to make a few such meals per week, it will go a long way towards kidney health.  When you are able to cook, consider making enough for several left-over meals.  Cooking in bulk and freezing is a fabulous idea.

When it comes to the type of salt you use, iodized salt is a good choice if you do not have a good source of iodine in your diet like fish or dairy.  Keep in mind that sea salt and pink Himalayan salt contain just as much sodium as regular table salt.  Using salt to season food after it has been cooked should be avoided.

Processed Foods:

Despite table salt’s notorious reputation, most of the sodium in our diets come from processed foods and restaurant meals. Out of the two, I would recommend using processed foods from the store.  While it is difficult (nearly impossible) to find a low sodium meal from a restaurant, it is very possible to find low sodium meals at your local grocery store. 

Most processed foods at the grocery store have Nutrition Facts Labels, which will show you how much sodium is in the product.  If you are aiming for a total 2,300 mg of Sodium or less for the day, try breaking that down into 600 mg Sodium or less at meals and 200 mg or less at snacks.  Check out the food label below.

TV Dinner Nutrition Facts Label

The food label above is for a frozen dinner.  The serving size is “1 meal”.  It is always important to look at the serving size as some products have more than one serving in a container.  This frozen dinner has 590 mg of Sodium, which makes it a good choice. 

Restaurant Meals:

Large chain restaurants are required to test their food and make nutrition content like Sodium available to customers; however, smaller restaurants and food trucks are not required to do so.  If you are able to find this information, be prepared to be shocked.  The sodium content can top 2,300 mg for a single meal.

The best advice is to avoid restaurant meals.  If you don’t have a choice, opt for something fresh like a salad with grilled meat and a vinaigrette dressing.  Also consider eating just half of an entrée while asking for unsalted steamed vegetables on the side.  The soups, breads and sauces at restaurants tend to be major sources of sodium and should be limited.

Florida Residents:

Looking for personalized kidney stone prevention? The Kidney Stone Prevention Clinic of Florida provides virtual consultations with nephrologist Dr. Paul Dreyer and dietitian Kidney Kat. We'll work with you, wherever you are in Florida. Follow the link to schedule your free 15-minute discovery call with the Kidney Stone Prevention Clinic of Florida today!

Stone Clinic

Important Disclaimers:

Following a low sodium diet is recommended to most people who have had kidney disease.  However, there are always exceptions, so having a good dialogue with your medical team is crucial. 

Content on this site is for reference purposes and is not intended to substitute for advice given by your personal physician, pharmacist, dietitian or medical team. Please, do not use this information to self-diagnose or to treat a health problem or disease on your own. Contact your physician immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem.