What Foods Should You Avoid on Fluid Restriction? A Guide to Hidden Fluids

October 22, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, fluid restriction is often medically advised for patients with conditions such as heart problems, renal disease, and hyponatremia. Knowing what foods should you avoid on fluid restriction is a critical step in managing these health issues and preventing fluid buildup in the body.

Quick Summary

Restricting fluids involves more than just beverages. You must limit high-sodium processed foods, certain dairy products, and high-water content items like soups and some fruits to prevent fluid retention and serious health complications.

Key Points

Watch Sodium: High-sodium foods increase thirst and fluid retention, so strictly limit processed meats, canned goods, and salty snacks.
Count Hidden Fluids: Anything that melts to a liquid at room temperature, such as ice cream, gelatin, and soup, counts towards your daily fluid total.
Drain Canned Goods: Always drain and rinse canned fruits and vegetables to eliminate excess fluid and sodium before consumption.
Manage Thirst: Combat dry mouth by sucking on hard candy or lemon wedges, chewing gum, or rinsing without swallowing.
Prioritize Fresh Foods: Opt for fresh, unprocessed foods over packaged alternatives, which are often high in hidden fluid and salt.
Measure Accurately: Use a liquid measuring cup to track all drinks and liquid foods, ensuring you stay within your daily fluid goal.
Freeze Allowed Fluids: Turn a portion of your allowed liquids, like juice or water, into ice cubes to make your fluid intake last longer and feel more satisfying.
Learn to Read Labels: Pay close attention to serving sizes and sodium content on food labels, and check for hidden salt in ingredient lists.

The Importance of Fluid Restriction

For individuals with conditions like heart failure, kidney disease, or liver damage, a healthcare provider may prescribe a fluid-restricted diet. This is crucial for preventing the buildup of excess fluid, which can lead to complications such as shortness of breath, high blood pressure, and swelling (edema). To manage this condition successfully, it's vital to recognize that fluid intake comes from more than just the drinks you consume. Many common foods contain high levels of both water and sodium, and must be limited or avoided altogether.

High-Sodium Foods to Strictly Limit

High-sodium foods are one of the primary culprits on a fluid-restricted diet, as they increase thirst and can cause the body to retain more fluid. The goal for many on a fluid-restricted diet is often to stay within a low-sodium range, which may vary depending on the individual's specific medical condition and doctor's recommendation.

Common high-sodium foods to avoid include:

Processed meats: Products like hot dogs, sausages, bacon, and deli meats are often packed with salt.
Canned foods: Canned vegetables, soups, and pasta meals are preserved with high levels of sodium. Draining and rinsing can help, but it's often better to choose fresh or low-sodium options.
Snack foods: Chips, pretzels, salted nuts, and cheese puffs are notoriously high in sodium.
Sauces and condiments: Soy sauce, ketchup, and many salad dressings contain significant hidden sodium.
Fast food and takeaway meals: These are almost always high in both sodium and fat, and should be avoided.

Hidden Sources of Fluid in Everyday Foods

Any food that is liquid at room temperature contributes to your total fluid allowance. This can be one of the most challenging parts of a fluid restriction, as many people don't realize these items count.

Examples of hidden fluids include:

Soups and broths: This includes both canned and homemade varieties.
Gelatin and pudding: These gelled desserts melt into liquid form once ingested.
Ice cream, sherbet, and popsicles: These frozen treats quickly become liquid.
Yogurt: While a solid, yogurt has a high liquid content that should be factored into your daily total.
Gravy: This thick sauce is a concentrated source of both fluid and sodium.
Ice cubes/chips: A surprising source of fluid, one cup of crushed ice is equivalent to about two-thirds of a cup of fluid.

High-Water Content Fruits and Vegetables

While fruits and vegetables are essential for a healthy diet, some contain very high water content that can impact your fluid intake. While these generally shouldn't be completely avoided, they should be consumed in moderation and counted towards your daily allowance.

Fruits and vegetables with very high water content:

Watermelon (up to 92% water)
Cucumber (up to 96% water)
Lettuce (up to 96% water)
Tomatoes (up to 95% water)
Celery (up to 95% water)
Strawberries (up to 91% water)

Choosing fresh, lower-water content produce like apples, carrots, or grapes can be a better alternative for snacking.

Comparison of Foods on Fluid Restriction

To help navigate your choices, here is a comparison table of common foods and their fluid/sodium content.


Food Type	High Fluid/Sodium Choices (Limit)	Lower Fluid/Sodium Alternatives (Choose)
Beverages	Full-sized cups of coffee, tea, soda, juice	Small sips of beverage, water with lemon, frozen fruit ice cubes
Soups	Canned soups, packet soups, most broths	Fresh, low-sodium broth or thick, strained soups
Frozen Desserts	Ice cream, sherbet, popsicles	Frozen grapes or berries, sugar-free hard candy
Protein	Processed deli meats, sausages, canned meats	Fresh cuts of unprocessed chicken, beef, fish
Grains	Instant rice/pasta mixes, pasta with thick sauce	Plain cooked pasta, rice, or cereal with minimal liquid
Snacks	Chips, pretzels, salted nuts	Unsalted nuts, plain popcorn, low-sodium crackers

Managing Thirst on a Fluid-Restricted Diet

Limiting fluids can lead to a persistent feeling of thirst. Luckily, there are several strategies to help you cope and stick to your fluid goals.

Suck on hard candy or lemon wedges: This stimulates saliva production and moistens the mouth.
Chew gum: Sugar-free gum can also help with a dry mouth.
Use smaller cups: A full, small cup can be more satisfying psychologically than a half-empty large one.
Rinse your mouth: Use mouthwash or water to rinse your mouth, but remember not to swallow.
Freeze your fluid allowance: Turning a portion of your allowed juice or water into ice cubes or a popsicle can make it last longer and feel more satisfying.
Stay cool: Avoiding hot temperatures can help reduce thirst triggered by overheating.

How to Read Food Labels for Better Fluid Management

Reading food labels is essential for anyone on a fluid-restricted or low-sodium diet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides guidance on how to interpret nutrition facts.

Check Serving Size: The information listed refers to a single serving. Many packages contain multiple servings, so adjust your calculations accordingly.
Look at Sodium Content: The number of milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving is a crucial figure to monitor. Many doctors recommend aiming for foods with less than 120mg of sodium per 100g.
Scan the Ingredient List: Ingredients are listed in order of weight, from highest to lowest. Look out for hidden salt, indicated by terms like 'sodium nitrate,' 'monosodium glutamate (MSG),' 'baking powder,' or 'rock salt'.
Compare Similar Products: Always compare the sodium content per 100g or 100ml between similar items to choose the best option.

Conclusion

Successfully navigating a fluid-restricted diet requires diligent attention not only to what you drink but also to what you eat. By avoiding high-sodium processed foods and being mindful of hidden fluids in items like soups, sauces, and certain desserts, you can better manage your fluid intake. Practical strategies like managing thirst with hard candies and carefully reading food labels are essential tools. Always consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to determine your specific fluid allowance and to create a diet plan that is right for you. For more information, the FDA provides a helpful guide on understanding nutrition labels: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fluid includes all beverages, as well as any food that is liquid at room temperature. This includes soup, gravy, ice cream, popsicles, yogurt, pudding, and gelatin.

Salty foods make you feel thirsty, causing you to want to drink more. Excess sodium also causes your body to retain fluid, which is exactly what a fluid restriction is trying to prevent.

Yes, but be mindful of high-water content fruits like watermelon and oranges, which should be consumed in moderation. Lower-water options like apples or berries, or frozen grapes, can be better choices.

Hidden sodium is common in processed and canned foods. Read labels for terms like 'monosodium glutamate (MSG),' 'sodium nitrate,' and 'stock cubes,' in addition to the salt listed.

Fresh, unprocessed foods are generally better because they contain less added sodium and allow for more control over your fluid and salt intake. If you must use canned foods, choose low-sodium varieties and drain the liquid.

You can suck on hard candies, chew gum, or rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash without swallowing. Staying in cool temperatures and using frozen fruit snacks can also help.

Yes, dairy products like milk, yogurt, and ice cream all contain fluid and should be counted as part of your daily allowance, especially if they are liquid or become liquid at room temperature.

Instead of a large gulp of water, try using a small amount of applesauce, pudding, or other soft food to help you swallow pills.