If your doctor or dietitian has recommended a low sodium diet, or if you are trying to manage a condition like high blood pressure or chronic kidney disease, you are probably reading labels for sodium. A food that often can be a source of hidden sodium is actually bread. Purchasing low sodium bread can help manage health conditions and help you stay within your sodium goals.
What is considered a low sodium bread option?
Bread can range from 0 mg to upwards of 300 mg per slice. That’s a huge range. I consider a bread to be low sodium if it is 130 mg or less per slice. A low sodium diet is typically 1500-1800 mg of sodium per day. So a single meal should be about 500 mg. If you can make the sandwich bread less than 260 mg, that leaves another 240 mg or more for protein, condiments, and sides.
Should I Eat Bread?
Sodium content aside, many people believe that they eat too much bread, or they shouldn’t be eating bread. I’m not sure how bread got this negative reputation. Our body needs carbohydrate. Bread is a carbohydrate. I often recommend incorporating whole grain breads to increase fiber and micronutrient content. However, there is nothing wrong with eating bread!
15 Low Sodium Bread Options to Try
- Sara Lee Classic Whole Wheat Bread: 130 mg per slice
- Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat Bread: 110 mg per slice
- Food For Life Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Bread: 75 mg per slice
- Food For Life Ezekiel 4:9 Low Sodium Bread: 0 mg per slice
- Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds Thin-Sliced: 105 mg per slice
- Dave’s Killer Bread White Bread Done Right Thin-Sliced: 125 mg per slice
- Schmidt Old Time 647 Bread: 125 mg per slice
- Pepperidge Farm Light Style Soft Wheat: 65 mg per slice
- Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sandwich Bread: 77 mg per slice
- Nature’s Own 100% Whole Grain Sugar Free Bread: 125 mg per slice
- Kroger Round Top Low Sodium Wheat Bread: 25 mg per slice
- Arnold Sandwich Thin Rolls Honey Wheat: 260 mg per roll
- Toufayan Low Carb Low Sodium Wraps: 170 mg per wrap
- Market Pantry Honey Wheat Sandwich Bread (Target): 125 mg per slice
- Great Value White Sandwich Bread: 110 mg per slice
Now that you have your low sodium bread, what can you have with it?
As you may know, deli meat can be a significant source of sodium. Here are some ways to utilize low sodium bread to keep your salt intake down:
- Homemade chicken salad sandwich
- Homemade chickpea salad sandwich (using low sodium canned chickpeas)
- Homemade tuna salad (using no salt canned tuna) sandwich
- Sliced baked chicken or turkey sandwich
- Grilled cheese using Swiss cheese (a low sodium cheese choice)
- Avocado toast with egg
- Toast topped with ricotta and berries
- French toast
- Peanut butter toast with banana slices and chia seeds
An award winning recipe developer, Dietitian Kaitlin’s mission is to empower others to reach their health goals by encouraging them to get back into the kitchen. Co-author of Nourished: 10 Ingredients to Happy, Healthy Eating and Cooking with Diabetes.
