mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
mbg Deputy Commerce Editor
Braelyn Wooden is the Deputy Commerce Editor at mindbodygreen. She has a B.S. in journalism from Northwestern College, together with a certificates in advertising and marketing.
Picture by PeopleImages / iStock
June 2, 2022
Sodium is important for our our bodies and essential for a range of functions, like electrolyte steadiness and nutrient absorption and transport. All meals include the macromineral, however the optimum quantity wanted for every physique differs.
The Dietary Pointers for Individuals advocate consuming less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, however these with hypertension or coronary heart and kidney failure may benefit from even less, aka a low-sodium weight-reduction plan.
When following a low-sodium weight-reduction plan, it is best to make a majority of your meals at residence with complete meals. More than 70% of sodium consumed by Americans comes from prepackaged meals, processed meals, and eating places, in response to a research revealed in Circulation, a journal by the American Coronary heart Affiliation (AHA).
A straightforward strategy to persist with your sodium restrict is by investing in the very best low-sodium meal supply providers. Whether or not you need to enhance your culinary abilities with a meal equipment or save time with packaged entrees ready with minimal salt, these providers make it a breeze so that you can restrict your sodium.
What’s a low-sodium weight-reduction plan?
There is not any clear definition of what constitutes a low-sodium weight-reduction plan, however a standard goal is between 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day. The precise quantity will rely in your private wants, but it surely’s essential to recollect the physique wants an estimated 500 milligrams of sodium per day to operate, per the AHA.
For our breakdown, we thought of a low-sodium entree one with lower than 600 milligrams per serving. Whereas some meal supply firms set their very own limits for sodium consumption, this filter permits us to advocate manufacturers that won’t instantly function low-sodium choices however nonetheless cater to this manner of consuming.
How we picked:
We targeted on manufacturers that use high-quality elements, ideally natural or domestically sourced.
Every highlighted firm gives a wide range of meals with lower than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Meals budgets differ, so we supplied a spread of choices to go well with completely different allowances.
We vetted every model’s dedication to staying inexperienced, together with their packaging and transport strategies.
mbg’s choose of the very best low-sodium meal supply kits of 2022:
Execs:
- Largely natural
- New menu weekly
Sort: Meal equipment
Dietary Wants: Allergen pleasant, Low-sugar
Get all of the elements wanted for a low-sodium meal for as much as 4 members of the family delivered weekly with Sunbasket. The meal supply equipment provides you much more management over your meals, permitting you to omit elements with an excessive amount of sodium as you cook dinner.
Sadly, the model does not have a devoted low-sodium plan or meal filter. Nevertheless, the location permits you to scan vitamin labels as you construct your field. One other strategy to bypass salt-heavy meals: Skip to the diabetes-friendly meal plan, which restricts sodium to 700 milligrams.
Instance meals:
– Lettuce-wrapped turkey burgers with inexperienced goddess dressing and lentil salad (280 mg)
– Herbed hen thighs with “tacky” broccoli and tomato-pesto relish (460 mg)
– Seared pork with blueberry-apricot sauce and sautéed greens (105 mg)
Sustainability & high quality: Sustainable agriculture is simply as essential to Sunbasket as environmentally pleasant packaging. The model sources natural and native produce and helps regenerative agriculture practices—so that you get high quality you’ll be able to belief.
Price: From $11 per serving for meal kits
Execs:
- No prep
- By no means frozen
- Matches vary of diets
Cons:
- Wants vitamin label vetting
Sort: Recent meals
Dietary Wants: Gluten-free, Natural, GMO-free, Dairy-free, Low-fat
Whether or not you are following a keto weight-reduction plan or sticking with a totally plant-based routine, Recent n’ Lean has you lined. Its lineup of contemporary entrées are comprised of scratch with a mean of 600 milligrams per serving—so you’ll be able to devour breakfast, lunch, and dinner with out hitting your each day sodium restrict.
Crafted by skilled cooks, these prepackaged meals are solely gluten-free and delivered contemporary. Merely pop within the microwave or oven for a speedy reheat, and put together to take pleasure in a wide range of nutritious recipes.
Instance Meals:
– Chimichurri braised beef with brown rice and veggies (510 mg)
– Lentils and herb roasted potatoes with remoulade sauce (470 mg)
– Romesco salmon with cauliflower and candy potatoes (470 mg)
Sustainability & High quality: Count on complete, natural meals in each meal with the service’s solely GMO-free menu. The model hyperlinks with suppliers who follow humane animal therapy and make notice of sustainably sourced seafood, corresponding to shrimp and salmon. Every single serving arrives in a BPA-free and recyclable tray.
Price: From $8 per serving
Execs:
- Totally ready
- No dedication
Cons:
- Frozen
- Wants vitamin label vetting
Sort: Frozen meals
Dietary Wants: Gluten-free, Vegan, Natural, Dairy-free
Most conventional frozen entrées from the grocery retailer are chock-full of sodium and different processed elements, however Veestro’s plant-based vary gives a more healthy different. Whilst you’ll need to scan the dietary labels to make sure you’re choosing low-sodium objects, there are dozens of entrées obtainable with lower than 600 milligrams of sodium.
Many meals additionally include the sauces separate, offering extra methods to chop again the quantity of extra salt for stricter diets. Plus, the model gives a small breakfast menu, so the plan can cowl three meals a day.
Instance Meals:
– Golden chickpea stew (330 mg)
– Mushroom risotto (420 mg)
– Eggplant casserole (415 mg with sauce)
Sustainability & High quality: Veestro guarantees 96% natural elements in each order with extra filters for soy-free, kosher, and nut-free meals. Each meal arrives in a recyclable carton or BPA-free tray, whereas the starch insulation will be dissolved in water.
Price: From $8 per serving
Execs:
- 100% recyclable packaging
- Quick transport
Sort: Recent meals
Dietary Wants: Gluten-free, Vegan, GMO-free, Dairy-free, Low-sugar
Select from a preset plan or curate your individual field of meals from Splendid Spoon’s absolutely vegan lineup. The sippable smoothies are the proper match for busy mornings spent in site visitors, whereas the noodle bowls make a satiating veggie-based lunch.
If the general comfort of grab-n-go is price it for you, you will even be relieved to know your complete lineup is GMO-free, gluten-free, and soy-free, in addition to low in sugar and sodium. Add the low-sodium filter to take the vetting one step additional, which removes any objects with greater than 12% of your each day sodium worth.
Instance Meals:
– Roasted cauliflower grain bowl (270 mg)
– Tanger ginger noodles (200 mg)
– Butternut turmeric soup (280 mg)
Sustainability & High quality: Whereas Splendid Spoon gives 100% recyclable packaging, solely commit for those who’re able to adequately rinse and type it, as objects are packaged individually in plastic. The model has additionally made enormous strides in sustainability since launching: It switched to climacell recyclable insulation, decreased carbon emissions with a brand new manufacturing facility, and changed gel packs with dry ice to scale back waste.
Price: From $9 per serving
Execs:
- Finances-friendly
- No dedication
- Simple to filter recipes
Cons:
- Poor packaging
- Not natural
Sort: Frozen meals
Dietary Wants: Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Dairy-free, Allergen pleasant, Low-fat, Low-sugar
Not like many different meal supply providers, Magic Kitchen is particularly geared towards seniors. The positioning is straightforward to make use of and simple to filter for particular dietary wants, together with low-sodium meals. Additionally obtainable by way of telephone orders, the menu gives a whole lot of premade objects together with single-serve entrées, snacks, and household plans.
Apply the low-sodium filter to seek out the very best low-sodium choices: à la carte objects below 400 milligrams or full entrées with lower than 700 milligrams. (Be aware: Most meals include lower than 500 milligrams.) Plus, you’ll be able to add extra filters to pick out recipes which can be low in fats or energy, in addition to gluten or dairy-free.
Instance Meals:
– Roasted veggie kale salad with hen
– Chickpea-powered Mediterranean bulgur with zucchini
– Pesto-spiced shrimp with pesto couscous and blistered tomatoes
Sustainability & High quality: Magic Kitchen goals to make use of natural elements when potential and prioritizes grain-fed beef and hormone-free hen. Whereas the model does use dry ice to ship, the coolers used to ship the frozen objects aren’t recyclable. The model’s area of interest service for seniors stored them on the listing regardless of this much less environmentally pleasant alternative.
Price: From $10 per serving
Who wants a low-sodium weight-reduction plan?
Not everybody must eat a low-sodium weight-reduction plan. It is generally really useful for these with hypertension, kidney failure, or coronary heart failure, however the advantages for these with out well being points nonetheless need additional research.
The kidneys are chargeable for regulating salt levels within the physique, so limiting sodium will be useful to affected organs with decreased operate. Equally, these with coronary heart points usually have decreased kidney operate, which makes a low sodium weight-reduction plan useful. Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless some conflicting research about the advantages for these with coronary heart failure.
Moreover, a review of 34 studies discovered that these with hypertension noticed a major discount of their hypertension ranges after consuming a low-sodium weight-reduction plan. These with regular blood strain ranges additionally noticed a drop—simply on a smaller scale.
All that being stated, a super-restricted intake of sodium may additionally have unfavourable impacts on those that do not want it. On the finish of the day, speaking together with your physician is the easiest way to know whether or not a low-sodium weight-reduction plan is best for you.
The takeaway.
One of the best ways to scale back your sodium consumption is by consuming your meals at residence—and a low-sodium meal supply service is the simplest strategy to observe your consumption with out spending the night studying vitamin labels. Whether or not you need a meal equipment like Sunbasket to show you new recipes or a favor a ready natural entree from Fresh n’ Lean, our picks have you ever lined with nutritious choices that emphasize non-GMO and sustainably sourced elements.
