Sodium
Sodium is the mineral in salt that controls how much water the body holds, and with it blood pressure. The WHO advises adults to stay under 2,000 mg a day, about 5 g of salt, and most people eat about twice that.
2,000 mga day at most for adults
5 g of salt, just under a teaspoon
US guideline · under 2,300 mg a day from age 14
- Most per 100 g 5,403mg Anchovies (canned in olive oil)
- Most per portion 689mg 1 regular/thin slice ham
- Salt to sodium 40% of salt is sodium; sodium × 2.5 = salt
- Where it comes from 70%+ already in packaged and restaurant food (US)
Daily limit: WHO. Food figures per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central; per portion, only for foods with a Caltide calorie page.
Foods High in Sodium
Ranked per 100 g, with what a usual portion gives, limited to 3 foods per category. Foods with a Caltide calorie page link to it.
A
Anchovies (canned in olive oil)
5,403mg / 100 g
P
Pecorino
1,890mg / 100 g
D
Dry white cheese (queso seco)
543 mg in 1 piece
1,810mg / 100 g
B
Bacon
422 mg in 3 slices
Nutrition facts
1,757mg / 100 g
C
Cotija cheese
488 mg in 1 piece
1,625mg / 100 g
S
Stuffed olives
1,620mg / 100 g
G
Green Manzanilla olives
1,620mg / 100 g
G
Green olives
1,556mg / 100 g
C
Caviar
240 mg in 1 tablespoon
1,500mg / 100 g
R
Roquefort
387 mg in 1 piece
1,290mg / 100 g
H
Ham
689 mg in 1 regular/thin slice
Nutrition facts
1,149mg / 100 g
P
Pork ham hocks
884 mg in 1 ham hock
1,040mg / 100 g
Per 100 g vs. a Usual Portion
Why the food that ranks first per 100 g can give less in a real serving.
| Food | Usual portion | Per 100 g | Per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bacon | 3 slices (24 g) | 1,757mg | 422mg |
| Ham | 1 regular/thin slice (60 g) | 1,149mg | 689mg |
| Feta | 1 wedge (38 g) | 1,034mg | 393mg |
| Pizza | 1 piece (119 g) | 540mg | 643mg |
| Bread | 1 slice (25 g) | 450mg | 112mg |
| Popcorn | 1 regular microwave bag (85 g) | 764mg | 649mg |
Bacon has more sodium than ham per 100 g, yet one slice of ham carries 689 mg against 422 mg in three slices of bacon, because the ham weighs more than twice as much.
What Is Sodium?
Sodium is an essential mineral and the main electrolyte in the fluid outside cells, the mirror image of potassium inside them. Where sodium goes, water follows, so the amount of sodium in the body sets the volume of blood and other fluids. Nerves and muscles also need it to send signals.
The body needs far less than most people eat. The US adequate intake for adults is 1,500 mg a day, and the kidneys pass the rest into urine. Eating more than that, day after day, raises blood pressure in many people, and high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke, which is why the WHO sets its limit at 2,000 mg.
How to Convert Salt to Sodium
Table salt is sodium chloride, and about 40% of its weight is sodium. To turn sodium into salt, multiply by 2.5; to go the other way, multiply salt by 0.4. EU labels show salt and US labels show sodium, so a food listed with 0.5 g of salt in Europe would show 200 mg of sodium in the US.
Where Sodium Comes From
In the US, more than 70% of the sodium people eat is added during commercial processing and in restaurants. Bread, cured meats, cheese, pizza, soups and sauces are the usual carriers. Bread is a good example: it does not taste salty, but it is eaten so often that it adds up.
Salt is not the only carrier. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), the flavor enhancer MSG (monosodium glutamate) and many preservatives contain sodium too, and all of it counts in the sodium figure on a label.
Sodium in a Day of Food Without Added Salt
One ordinary day from foods in the Caltide library, in usual portions, counting only the sodium already in the food.
| Meal | Food | Amount | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Oats | 40g | 2.4mg |
| Breakfast | Milk | 236g | 93mg |
| Lunch | Bread | 25g | 112mg |
| Lunch | Ham | 60g | 689mg |
| Lunch | Cheddar | 17g | 111mg |
| Snack | Popcorn | 85g | 649mg |
| Dinner | Chicken breast | 135g | 477mg |
| Dinner | Potato | 200g | 318mg |
| Dinner | Broccoli | 76g | 27mg |
| Total | 2478mg |
That is 124% of the WHO limit before anyone reaches for the salt. The ham and cheese on bread at lunch alone gives 912 mg.
Low Sodium (Hyponatremia)
Low blood sodium, called hyponatremia, is rarely caused by eating too little salt. It follows heavy fluid loss, some medicines and illnesses, or drinking very large amounts of plain water during long endurance events, which dilutes the blood faster than the kidneys can correct. Headache, nausea and confusion are common signs.
Common Sodium Mistakes
Judging sodium by taste. Bread, breakfast cereal and cottage cheese do not taste salty, yet each carries hundreds of milligrams per 100 g. The label is the only reliable guide.
Switching to sea salt to cut sodium. Sea salt, rock salt and table salt carry about the same sodium by weight. Using less salt is what cuts sodium, not changing the kind.
Reading salt as sodium. A label that says 2 g of salt means 800 mg of sodium, not 2,000 mg. Mixing the two up makes a food look either far worse or far better than it is.
How Much Sodium You Need and the Daily Limit
The body needs little sodium. Most guidance sets a daily limit to stay under.
| Age | Enough (AI) | Cut back above |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 3 years | 800mg | 1,200mg |
| 4 - 8 years | 1,000mg | 1,500mg |
| 9 - 13 years | 1,200mg | 1,800mg |
| 14+ years | 1,500mg | 2,300mg |
Sodium in Supplements and Medicines
Few people take sodium on purpose, but supplements and medicines can still add some.
Where Sodium Shows Up
Electrolyte drinks, gels and salt tablets for long endurance exercise are sodium supplements by design. Effervescent tablets, such as fizzy vitamin C or pain relief, often use sodium bicarbonate to make the fizz. Check the label if you are watching your sodium.
Salt Substitutes
Many replace part of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride. The WHO suggests these lower-sodium salts for adults, but not for pregnant women, children or people with kidney disease, who can build up too much potassium.
Tracking Sodium in Caltide
- Logged automaticallyCaltide adds up the sodium in every food you log and shows it in the Nutrition tab. For packaged foods with only a salt figure, it works out the sodium for you.
- Supplements count tooAdd an electrolyte drink or effervescent tablet once with its sodium. Each day you tick it off, it counts toward your total.
Sodium Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources. Food amounts come from USDA FoodData Central.
Questions About Sodium
Under 2,000 mg a day for adults, according to the WHO, which is about 5 g of salt. US guidelines say under 2,300 mg. EFSA puts the safe and adequate intake for adults at 2,000 mg.
Multiply sodium by 2.5. Salt is about 40% sodium, so 1 g of salt holds about 400 mg of sodium, and 2,000 mg of sodium is 5 g of salt. EU labels list salt, US labels list sodium.
In the Caltide food library, anchovies (canned in olive oil): 5,403 mg per 100 g. Pecorino (1,890 mg) and Dry white cheese (queso seco) (1,810 mg) come next. Cured meat and fish, cheese and olives are among the saltiest, but bread and other foods eaten often add up too.
From packaged and restaurant food. In the US, more than 70% of the sodium people eat is added during commercial processing and preparation, not at the table or the home stove.
Not for sodium. Sea salt, rock salt and table salt are all mostly sodium chloride and carry about the same sodium by weight. Coarse crystals pack less into a teaspoon, which is the only reason a spoonful can hold less.
About twice the WHO limit. The WHO estimates the global average at 10.8 g of salt a day, about 4,300 mg of sodium.
Rarely from diet. Low blood sodium usually comes from illness, some medicines, or drinking very large amounts of water during long endurance events, which dilutes the blood.
For most adults, yes. Substitutes that replace part of the sodium with potassium lower sodium intake, and the WHO suggests them for adults, but not for people with kidney disease, pregnant women or children.
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