How Much Sodium Per Day? Daily Limits by Health Condition
How much sodium per day? 2,300 mg for healthy adults, 1,500 mg with hypertension, kidney disease or diabetes. Full table by profile + salt conversion (WHO & AHA).
- Data verified · June 2026
- Edited by Martín Rodríguez
- Formula verified by automated tests
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How to use this calculator
Follow this tool’s steps, then review its formula, assumptions, and limits below.
The challenge is that sodium hides everywhere: bread, deli meats, cheese, canned broths, sauces, and even bottled water. Without a personal reference number, reading nutrition labels is nearly useless.
This calculator gives you that number: your recommended daily sodium ceiling in milligrams, calibrated to your specific health profile. Enter your actual intake to instantly see how far above or below your limit you are, and get a personalized interpretation to share with your doctor or dietitian.
The result is an evidence-based guideline, not a medical prescription. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual advice.
When to use this calculator
- Healthy adult monitoring diet — Mark, 34, no chronic conditions, wants to know his sodium ceiling. The calculator returns 2,300 mg/day (~5.75 g of salt). He enters his estimated intake of 3,200 mg/day and sees he is 900 mg over the limit. Reviewing his labels, two slices of deli ham (700 mg), a bread roll (450 mg), and a tablespoon of soy sauce (900 mg) account for most of the excess — a concrete starting point for change.
- Patient with diagnosed hypertension — Grace, 58, takes enalapril for high blood pressure. Her doctor said 'reduce salt' with no specific number. The calculator with the 'hypertension' profile returns 1,500 mg/day (3.75 g of salt). She enters her estimated daily intake of 2,200 mg and sees she is 700 mg over. She immediately identifies processed cheese (450 mg) and cured ham (600 mg) as the main culprits to reduce.
- Endurance athlete replenishing electrolytes — Fred, 27, runs 50 km per week and sweats heavily. With the 'athlete with heavy sweating' profile, the calculator returns 3,000 mg/day as a safe upper reference — higher than the standard adult limit, reflecting sodium losses through sweat of 500–2,000 mg per hour during intense exercise. He uses this to evaluate whether his isotonic drinks (400 mg per bottle) are adequate.
- Pregnant woman with pre-eclampsia history — Valentina, 31, is 24 weeks pregnant with a prior history of pre-eclampsia. Using 'pregnancy with hypertension / pre-eclampsia', the calculator gives a conservative 1,500 mg/day limit. Her estimated daily intake of 1,900 mg sits at 127% of her limit. She shares this report with her nutritionist to redesign her weekly meal plan.
Sodium ↔ salt: how much of your daily limit a serving uses
Convert milligrams of sodium to grams of table salt and see the share of each daily ceiling.
| Sodium (mg) | Table salt (g) | % of 1,500 mg limit | % of 2,300 mg limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 mg | 0.50 g | 13% | 9% |
| 400 mg | 1.00 g | 27% | 17% |
| 600 mg | 1.50 g | 40% | 26% |
| 1,000 mg | 2.50 g | 67% | 43% |
| 1,500 mg | 3.75 g | 100% | 65% |
| 2,300 mg | 5.75 g | 153% | 100% |
| 3,400 mg | 8.50 g | 227% | 148% |
Salt (g) = sodium (mg) ÷ 400, since table salt is ~40% sodium by weight. 3,400 mg is the average U.S. adult intake — already 148% of the healthy-adult ceiling.
Sodium content of common high-salt foods
Typical sodium per serving — the foods that drive most of the daily total in Western diets.
| Food | Serving | Sodium (mg) | % of 1,500 mg limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soy sauce | 1 tbsp (15 ml) | 900 mg | 60% |
| Canned soup | 1 cup (245 g) | 850 mg | 57% |
| Cured ham (deli) | 2 slices (60 g) | 700 mg | 47% |
| Pizza, cheese | 1 slice | 600 mg | 40% |
| Bread roll | 1 roll | 400 mg | 27% |
| Processed cheese | 1 slice (30 g) | 300 mg | 20% |
| Salted peanuts | 30 g | 230 mg | 15% |
| White bread | 1 slice (30 g) | 170 mg | 11% |
Values are typical averages (USDA / nutrition labels); check the Nutrition Facts panel for your exact product. Bread, processed meats, cheese and sauces are the top sodium contributors — often more than the salt added at the table.
How it works
How It's Calculated
The calculator applies the recommended daily sodium intake limits established by the WHO, the American Heart Association (AHA), and international clinical guidelines, adjusted for the user's health profile.
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Sodium ↔ Table Salt Conversion
Table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is approximately 40% sodium by weight. This ratio is fixed by chemistry and is consistent across all salt types (iodized, sea salt, kosher salt):
1 g of salt = 400 mg of sodium
1 mg of sodium = 0.0025 g of salt
salt (g) = sodium (mg) ÷ 400> Practical reference: 1 teaspoon of table salt ≈ 5.8 g ≈ 2,300 mg of sodium — already at the full daily limit for a healthy adult.
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Reference Limits by Health Profile
| Profile | Max sodium (mg/day) | Equivalent salt (g) | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy adult | 2,300 | 5.75 | AHA / Dietary Guidelines 2020–2025 |
| Hypertension / cardiovascular | 1,500 | 3.75 | AHA 2021 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 1,500 | 3.75 | KDIGO 2012 |
| Diabetes | 1,500 | 3.75 | ADA Standards of Care |
| Pregnancy (no hypertension) | 2,000 | 5.00 | WHO 2012 |
| Pregnancy with hypertension | 1,500 | 3.75 | ACOG / WHO |
| Athlete (heavy sweating) | 3,000 | 7.50 | ACSM Position Stand |
| Older adult >65 years | 1,800 | 4.50 | European Society of Cardiology |
| Teenager (14–18 years) | 2,300 | 5.75 | Institute of Medicine DRI |
| Child (9–13 years) | 2,200 | 5.50 | Institute of Medicine DRI |
| Child (4–8 years) | 1,500 | 3.75 | Institute of Medicine DRI |
Why the 1,500 mg threshold appears frequently: Multiple conditions that damage blood vessel walls or impair fluid regulation (kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes) benefit from a lower ceiling because sodium directly increases blood volume, raising pressure and filtration load on already stressed organs.
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When You Enter Your Current Intake
Excess (mg) = current_intake − profile_limit
Percentage = (current_intake ÷ limit) × 100For example: a person with hypertension consuming 2,800 mg/day is at 187% of their limit, with an excess of 1,300 mg — equivalent to about ¼ teaspoon of salt above what is recommended.
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Why This Matters: Context Behind the Numbers
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What This Calculator Does NOT Include
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Common Errors When Estimating Sodium Intake
1. Confusing salt grams with sodium milligrams. A label showing "1.5 g of salt" contains ~600 mg of sodium — not 1,500 mg.
2. Ignoring cumulative sources. A single deli sandwich can contain 1,000–1,500 mg of sodium. People often underestimate by 30–50% (NHANES data).
3. Assuming "low sodium" means safe for all conditions. FDA defines "low sodium" as ≤140 mg per serving — but eating multiple servings or combining several "low sodium" foods can still exceed limits for CKD or cardiac patients.
4. Overlooking sodium in medications. Some antacids, effervescent tablets, and oral rehydration salts contain significant sodium not counted in food diaries.
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Key Sources:
Disclaimer: Results are for guidance only and do not replace professional medical advice. Individuals with kidney disease, cardiovascular conditions, or pregnancy should define their sodium targets with a qualified healthcare provider.
Example: hypertension profile, current intake 2,200 mg/day
Frequently asked questions
What is the recommended daily sodium intake for a healthy adult?
Why is the limit lower for people with hypertension?
Do athletes need more sodium than the general recommendation?
What is the recommended sodium intake during pregnancy?
How do I find the sodium content in my food?
Can eating too little sodium be dangerous?
Does medication for blood pressure eliminate the need to control sodium intake?
Is Himalayan pink salt or sea salt healthier than regular table salt?
Do children have different sodium limits than adults?
How can I reduce sodium intake without making food taste bland?
Sources & references
Methodology & trust
Health calculator with its formula verified automatically against WHO Guideline: Sodium Intake for Adults and Children (2012), per our editorial policy and methodology.
Updated: June 2026. Parameters are verified periodically against the cited sources.
Calculations run 100% in your browser. We do not store or transmit your data.
Indicative results. For critical decisions, consult a professional.
Rodríguez, M. (2026). How Much Sodium Per Day? Daily Limits by Health Condition. Hacé Cuentas. https://hacecuentas.com/en/daily-sodium-intake-mg-hypertension
Content licensed under CC-BY 4.0 — reuse it citing the source with a link to Hacé Cuentas.