Sodium calculator: what your day actually adds up to

Published by Vancko Systems Ltd · Last updated 13 September 2026 · Editorial policy

Add what you actually ate and this adds up the sodium, then puts it against the three limits that health authorities use. The search covers 1.86 million foods from USDA FoodData Central, so branded products are in there alongside plain ingredients. Start typing and pick the one that matches your label.

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Sodium so far

0 mg

0 g of salt

WHO 2,000 mgNHS 2,400 mgUS 2,300 mg

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Common questions

How much sodium a day is too much?

The World Health Organization advises under 2,000 mg of sodium a day, which is 5 g of salt. The NHS uses 6 g of salt, about 2,400 mg of sodium. The US Dietary Guidelines use 2,300 mg. Most people in both countries are above all three.

What is the difference between salt and sodium?

Salt is sodium chloride, and sodium is about 40 per cent of it by weight. To turn salt into sodium, multiply by 400 and you get milligrams: 6 g of salt is roughly 2,400 mg of sodium. UK labels usually give salt, US labels give sodium, which is why the same food can look twice as salty depending on which country printed the packet.

Which everyday foods are the saltiest?

Not the obvious ones. Cured meat leads: prosciutto sits near 2,700 mg per 100 g and streaky bacon near 1,760. A packet of instant noodles with its sachet is close to 1,900. Bread is not especially salty per 100 g, but people eat a lot of it, which is why it is one of the largest single sources in the British diet.

Does cutting salt actually lower blood pressure?

For many people it lowers it somewhat, and the effect is larger in those who already have high blood pressure. It is not a cure and it is not the only factor. If you are managing blood pressure or taking medication for it, that is a conversation for your GP, not a calculator.

Why show sodium per 100 calories?

Because it tells you something the per-100-gram figure hides. A food can look mild per 100 g and still deliver most of your daily sodium in a normal portion, simply because you eat a lot of it. Sorting by sodium per 100 calories puts the real offenders at the top.

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How this calculator works

Sodium is summed from the amount you enter and the food's sodium per 100 g. Salt is sodium multiplied by 2.5. The three limits shown are the WHO recommendation of 2,000 mg, the NHS figure of 6 g of salt, and the US Dietary Guidelines limit of 2,300 mg. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. UK figures are converted from the salt value on the label, using the standard factor of 400. US figures are sodium as published. Foods with a link are our own pages, where you can see the portion sizes and the source.

Sources

  1. World Health Organization — sodium reduction. who.int
  2. NHS — salt in your diet. nhs.uk
  3. USDA FoodData Central — sodium values. fdc.nal.usda.gov

General information, not medical advice. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, taking blood-pressure medication, or being treated for heart or kidney disease, follow the advice of your GP or dietitian rather than a calculator.