Sodium Per Serving Calculator
Total sodium mg / servings. Compare to FDA upper limit (2,300 mg/day).
Result
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How to use this calculator
- Sum total sodium from each ingredient (label + USDA).
- Set servings.
- Aim for <480 mg/serving for "moderate" rating.
- For low-sodium diets: cap at 140 mg/serving.
About this calculator
FDA recommends ≤2,300 mg sodium/day; AHA pushes for 1,500 mg as the ideal. The "low sodium" cutoff is 140 mg/serving; "moderate" 140-480; "high" 480+. Most processed foods (soups, sauces, breaded items) blow past the moderate threshold. Home cooking is usually 30-50% lower in sodium than the equivalent restaurant meal — control comes from choosing how much salt and broth to add. Salt is 40% sodium by mass: 1g salt = 400 mg sodium = ~⅙ tsp.
Frequently asked
How do I find sodium without labels?+
USDA FoodData Central has every common ingredient. Look up "raw chicken thigh, with skin" etc.
Why is FDA limit 2300 but AHA recommends 1500?+
FDA = upper safety limit for healthy adults. AHA = optimal cardiovascular target. Most public health bodies push for the AHA target.
Sea salt vs. table salt — different sodium?+
No — both are sodium chloride. Sea salt has trace minerals but the same sodium per gram.
Why does restaurant food run high?+
Salt enhances flavor cheaply. Restaurant meals average 1500-2500 mg sodium each — easy to blow daily limit in one sitting.
Salt-sensitive vs. not?+
~25-50% of adults are salt-sensitive (BP rises with salt). Test by tracking BP before/after a low-sodium week.
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