How to figure out sodium content and reduce your intake

December 17, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 70% of the sodium consumed by most Americans comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker. This makes knowing how to figure out sodium content a critical skill for anyone aiming to manage their diet and improve their heart health.

Quick Summary

This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of how to find and calculate sodium amounts from food labels, homemade recipes, and hidden sources. It also clarifies the difference between salt and sodium and offers practical strategies for reducing daily consumption.

Key Points

Check serving size: Always check the serving size on a Nutrition Facts label and adjust the total sodium based on your portion, as the listed amount is for a single serving.
Understand % Daily Value: Use the %DV to quickly identify high or low sodium foods; 5% or less is low, while 20% or more is high.
Calculate for homemade meals: For homemade recipes, sum the sodium of all ingredients and divide by the number of servings to determine the sodium per portion.
Beware of hidden sodium: Be aware of sodium lurking in processed foods, condiments, baked goods, and restaurant meals, which often contribute the most to daily intake.
Use seasoning alternatives: Enhance flavor with herbs, spices, lemon juice, or vinegar instead of relying on salt, especially when cooking from scratch.
Choose fresh over canned: Opt for fresh or no-salt-added frozen vegetables and rinse canned goods to reduce sodium content.

Deciphering the Nutrition Facts Label

For packaged foods, the Nutrition Facts label is your primary tool. It provides a detailed breakdown of the product's nutritional information, but you must know how to read it correctly.

Understand the serving size

First, check the serving size at the top of the label. The sodium content listed is for one serving only. Many people consume multiple servings of a product in one sitting, unknowingly multiplying their sodium intake. For example, a can of soup might list 470 mg of sodium per serving, but if the can contains two servings, eating the whole can means consuming 940 mg of sodium.

Interpret the % Daily Value (%DV)

The Percent Daily Value is a helpful metric for quickly assessing a product's sodium level. The FDA uses 2,300 mg as the daily value for sodium.

A %DV of 5% or less per serving is considered low in sodium.
A %DV of 20% or more per serving is considered high in sodium. Use this percentage to compare similar products and make healthier choices effortlessly.

Look for nutrient content claims

Food manufacturers often use specific claims to indicate sodium levels. Here's what they mean:

Sodium-free: Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.
Very low sodium: 35 mg or less per serving.
Low sodium: 140 mg or less per serving.
Reduced or Less Sodium: Contains at least 25% less sodium than the regular version. This does not guarantee the product is low-sodium.
No Salt Added: No salt was added during processing, but the food may still contain natural sodium.

Calculating Sodium in Homemade Recipes

When cooking from scratch, you have total control over the sodium content. To calculate the sodium per serving, follow these simple steps:

List all ingredients: Write down every ingredient, including any sauces or store-bought components.
Find sodium values: For each ingredient, use the Nutrition Facts label or a reliable database, like the USDA's Food Data Central, to find the sodium content for the amount you are using.
Sum the total sodium: Add the sodium amounts of all ingredients to get the total sodium for the entire recipe.
Divide by servings: Divide the total sodium by the number of servings the recipe yields to get the sodium per serving.

Identifying Hidden Sources of Sodium

Many foods contain high amounts of sodium that don't taste salty. Be vigilant about these hidden sources:

Processed and packaged foods: Canned soups and vegetables, frozen meals, deli meats, and pre-packaged sauces are major contributors.
Condiments: Ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, and soy sauce are often very high in sodium.
Bread and baked goods: Baking soda and baking powder, which contain sodium, are used to help dough rise.
Snack foods: Chips, pretzels, and salted nuts are obvious sources, but many commercial cereals can also be surprisingly high.
Restaurant and fast foods: Meals prepared outside the home are typically loaded with sodium to enhance flavor.

Salt vs. Sodium: What's the Difference?

Many people use the terms salt and sodium interchangeably, but they are not the same. Sodium is a mineral, while table salt is a crystal-like compound of sodium and chloride (sodium chloride). For health purposes, it's the sodium that health organizations focus on limiting. A helpful conversion is that one teaspoon of table salt contains approximately 2,400 mg of sodium.

Comparison Table: Sodium in Common Canned vs. Fresh Foods


Food Item	Typical Canned Serving	Canned Sodium (mg)	Typical Fresh/No-Salt-Added Serving	Fresh Sodium (mg)	Notes
Green Beans	½ cup	~300-400	½ cup, cooked from fresh or frozen (no sauce)	<10	Canned versions often use salt for preservation.
Tomato Sauce	½ cup	~450-600	½ cup, homemade (no salt added)	~20	Store-bought sauces are often very high in sodium.
Soup (Chicken Noodle)	1 cup	~600-900	1 cup, homemade	Varies (controlled)	Pre-packaged soups are a major source of hidden sodium.
Tuna	3 oz, canned in water	~300	3 oz, fresh cooked	~50	Many canned products use salt, check 'no salt added' versions.

Cooking Strategies to Reduce Sodium

Taking control of your cooking is the most effective way to lower your sodium intake. Here are some simple techniques:

Use herbs and spices: Flavor your dishes with dried herbs, fresh herbs, spices, lemon juice, or vinegar instead of salt.
Go fresh: Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables without added sauces or seasonings instead of canned versions.
Rinse canned goods: If you must use canned vegetables or beans, rinsing them in water can wash away a significant amount of the added sodium.
Reduce gradually: Your taste buds can be retrained. Reduce the amount of salt you use gradually over time until you no longer crave salty flavors.
Make your own sauces: Prepare your own sauces and broths from scratch to ensure no extra sodium is added.

Conclusion

Mastering how to figure out sodium content is a simple but powerful step toward a healthier lifestyle. By carefully reading nutrition labels, paying attention to serving sizes, and being mindful of hidden sodium in processed foods, you can significantly reduce your intake. Taking control of your cooking allows you to season your meals with natural herbs and spices, making it easy to stay within the recommended daily limits and protect your long-term health. The World Health Organization recommends adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day, and a little awareness can make all the difference in achieving that goal.

World Health Organization information on sodium reduction

Frequently Asked Questions

Salt is a compound called sodium chloride. Sodium is a mineral and an element found within salt. When tracking your health, you should focus on the total sodium content, as that is the nutrient most relevant to health organizations.

According to the FDA, a product labeled 'low sodium' must contain 140 mg of sodium or less per serving. This is different from 'reduced sodium,' which only means it has 25% less than the regular version.

To lower sodium when cooking, use herbs, spices, vinegar, or citrus juices for flavor instead of salt. You can also opt for fresh foods over canned and packaged items, and reduce salt gradually to retrain your palate.

No, while table salt, sea salt, and kosher salt all contain approximately 40% sodium, their grain size and density differ. A teaspoon of kosher or sea salt may have less sodium by weight due to larger crystal size, but nutritionally, the sodium content is similar.

Yes, rinsing sodium-containing canned foods like beans or vegetables under cold water can remove a significant amount of the added sodium. It's a simple and effective step to take before consumption.

Common hidden sources include processed cheeses, salad dressings, sauces, instant noodle packets, bouillon cubes, and even some cereals. The vast majority of a person's sodium intake comes from these processed and prepared foods.

Estimating sodium in restaurant food can be difficult as it's often high. You can request that food be prepared without added salt and have sauces served on the side. Many restaurant chains now provide nutritional information online to help you choose lower-sodium options.