7 Day Low Fat Low Sodium Diet Plan

Low Fat Low Sodium Diet Plan

Approximately one in two adults in the US has hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, and this statistic is even higher when you consider men alone.

If you fall in this category, your doctor will likely suggest a low-fat, low sodium diet.

Although your body needs some fat and sodium to provide fuel (fat) and regulate fluid balance and muscle contractions (sodium), the typical American diet contains a lot of fat and sodium.

Why? Because Americans love fast food and takeout too much.

Excess fat and sodium contribute to hypertension and can lead to severe issues like a heart attack.

A low-fat, low sodium diet limits the amount of fat and sodium you consume each day, and it has been proven to boost heart function and regulate blood pressure. 

What’s The Recommended Amount of Fat and Sodium Intake?

The DRI (dietary reference intake) for fat in adults in the USA is between 20% and 35% of total calories from fat.

That’s about 45g to 80g of fat per day if you eat 2,000 calories. For a low-fat diet, it’s about half, meaning you shouldn’t exceed about 30g of fat per day.

On the other hand, the DGS (Dietary Guide for Americans) recommends that adults cut their salt intake to under 2,300 mg per day, about one tablespoon of salt. Yet over 95% of men aged between 20 and 60 exceed the recommended intake.

It’s true it can be hard to get started on a low-fat, low sodium diet, and it may mean giving up on a lot of your favorite foods, such as pizza and fries. But there are many other sumptuous and nutritious, low-fat, low sodium foods you can take. 

Sample 7-Day Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast: One cup oats, quarter cup raisins, and two tablespoons chopped walnuts

AM Snack: One cup of raspberries and one cup low-fat yogurt

Lunch: Creamy tomato soup, one slice of whole wheat bread, and one medium orange

PM Snack: One and a half cups of sliced cantaloupe

Dinner: Philly Cheesesteak stuffed bell peppers, low-fat fries

Day 2

Breakfast: Avocado and spinach smoothie

AM Snack: One cup of low-fat yogurt garnished with two tablespoons walnuts

Lunch: Pea and spinach carbonara 

PM Snack: One cup sliced watermelon 

Dinner: Turkey Bolognese and zucchini noodles 

Day 3

Breakfast: Half a cup avocado-spinach smoothie and One chia berry English muffin

AM Snack: One cup of sliced watermelon

Lunch: Leftover turkey Bolognese and zucchini noodles

PM Snack: One large banana

Dinner: Baked potatoes, lemon chicken, and spinach

Day 4

Breakfast: Strawberry-banana smoothie

AM Snack: One cup of raspberries 

Lunch: One cup of brown rice and baked salmon topped with pineapple salsa

PM Snack: One cup of sliced watermelon

Dinner: Turkey Bolognese and zucchini noodles

Day 5

Breakfast: Half a cup avocado-spinach smoothie and one chia berry English muffin

AM Snack: Two cups of sliced cantaloupe

Lunch: Leftover turkey Bolognese and zucchini noodles

PM Snack: One cup of raspberries

Dinner: Two pork tacos topped with two tablespoons low-fat sour cream and diced tomatoes

Day 6

Breakfast: Strawberry-banana smoothie

AM Snack: Half a cup low-fat yogurt and frozen raspberries

Lunch: Two pork tacos topped with two tablespoons low-fat sour cream and diced tomatoes

PM Snack: Two cups of sliced cantaloupe

Dinner: One whole wheat baguette and shrimp scampi noodles

Day 7

Breakfast: One cup oats, quarter a cup of raisins, and two tablespoons chopped walnuts

AM Snack: Half a cup avocado-spinach smoothie and one cup raspberries

Lunch: Creamy tomato soup, one slice of whole wheat bread, and one medium orange

PM Snack: One large banana

Dinner: One cup of brown rice and jerk chicken topped with pineapple slaw

How Else Can Low Lower Your Fat and Sodium Intake?

There are many other ways to limit the amount of fat and sodium you take.

These include checking the nutritional label of packed foods, cooking meals from scratch, reducing the amount of oil for cooking, and finding different ways to season food.

Check Food Nutritional Labels

It sounds obvious, but you should always check the nutritional labels of packed foods to see the fat and salt content. Compare labels for products and go with the healthiest option. 

Don’t Automatically Add Salt

You’re recommended to taste the food first before adding salt, whether at home or eating out. Sometimes you add salt to food when it’s not necessary.

Find Different Ways to Season Your Food

Apart from using salt and salsas with a lot of fat content, you can find other ways to season foods such as black pepper, chili, ginger, etc.

Stop Eating Fast Foods

Most people love fast foods, but there is no denying they contain a lot of fat and sodium. Stop eating them entirely or reduce the amount you’re eating and order yourself something healthier like a salad. 

Cook or Order Food Made with Healthier Oils

Whether cooking at home or getting takeout, ensure the food is prepared with healthier oils such as avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc. When it comes to sodium, make sure the foods you order, like pizza, have vegetable toppings instead of processed meats.

Eat Less Processed Meat

Processed meats have a lot of fat and sodium in them. Fat is present for the flavor, and sodium is present as a flavor and preservative. 

Try and cut back on the number of sausages, hotdogs, bacon, and salami you eat. For bacon, you can go with the low fat, low sodium unsmoked version. 

Go Easy On the Sauce

A lot of sauces and salad dressings have massive amounts of salt, for instance, ketchup, mayo, mustard, and soy sauce.

You can try and make your own salad dressing at home to ensure they don’t have a lot of salt. 

Choose Healthy Snacks

Chips and salted nuts are easy to snack on, but they contain a lot of fat and sodium. Try replacing them with crackers and unsalted nuts or veggies such as carrots. 

Final Thought

To sum it all up, learning how to cut back on fat and salt takes a bit of practice and some guidance from trusted sources.

Consider the meal plan illustrated above, as well as the tips to see how you can reduce your fat and sodium intake.

Printable Low Fat Low Sodium Diet Plan (PDF)

See Also

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Keto Diet For Diabetics

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