The FDA recommends a daily sodium limit of 2,300 mg for the general adult population. The American Heart Association recommends an even lower 1,500 mg ideal limit. People with hypertension, kidney disease, or heart failure should typically stay at or below 1,500-2,000 mg. Our sodium calculator picks the right limit for your situation, compares it to your current intake, and shows the gap in mg, percentage, and teaspoons of salt equivalent.
Provide your age (older adults often have lower limits).
Check hypertension, kidney disease, or athlete status if applicable.
Input your typical daily sodium intake from food labels and food tracking.
See your personal limit and gap in mg, %, and teaspoons of salt.
Most US adults consume 3,400+ mg/day — far above all recommended limits. Reducing sodium intake lowers blood pressure, especially in salt-sensitive individuals. The relationship between dietary sodium and cardiovascular events is well-established. Most dietary sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.
FDA limit: 2,300 mg/day • AHA ideal: 1,500 mg/day • HTN/CKD: 1,500-2,000 mg/day
FDA: 2,300 mg/day general adult limit
AHA ideal: 1,500 mg/day for cardiovascular health
Hypertension/CKD: 1,500-2,000 mg/day
Average US adult eats 3,400+ mg/day — well above all limits
75% of dietary sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker
1 teaspoon of salt ≈ 2,300 mg sodium
Athletes may need slightly more sodium due to sweat losses
Sodium is an essential electrolyte that regulates fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction, but most people consume far more than they need. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg per day — with an ideal limit of 1,500 mg for most adults — yet the average American intake exceeds 3,400 mg daily, with over 70% coming from processed and restaurant foods rather than the salt shaker. Excess sodium intake is strongly linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), which affects nearly half of US adults and is a leading risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. A 2019 meta-analysis in The BMJ found that reducing sodium intake by 1,000 mg per day lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 5.8 mmHg in hypertensive individuals. However, sodium needs vary significantly based on activity level, climate, and health conditions — endurance athletes losing 900-1,800 mg of sodium per liter of sweat may need substantially more than sedentary individuals. Understanding your personal sodium requirements helps you make informed dietary choices that support cardiovascular health without unnecessary restriction.
It's not the salt shaker — it's the food industry. Processed foods, restaurant meals, breads, sauces, and even seemingly healthy items like canned soups and frozen meals are loaded with sodium for flavor and preservation.
A single restaurant meal can easily contain 2,000-3,000 mg of sodium.
The most effective way to cut sodium is to cook at home with whole ingredients, not to use less salt at the table.
US dietary guidance sets clear limits. The FDA and Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend adults consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day — about one teaspoon of salt.
The American Heart Association goes further, citing an ideal limit of 1,500 mg for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure.
Yet average intake runs around 3,400 mg, well above both targets. This calculator compares your intake to these thresholds based on your health profile.
Excess sodium makes the body retain water to dilute it, increasing blood volume and the pressure on artery walls.
Over time, per the American Heart Association, this contributes to hypertension, a leading risk factor for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
Reducing sodium is one of the most effective dietary changes for lowering blood pressure, which is why the DASH eating plan emphasizes it. Sensitivity varies, but most people benefit from cutting back.
Sodium and salt are not the same. Table salt (sodium chloride) is about 40% sodium by weight, so one teaspoon of salt (about 5,750 mg) contains roughly 2,300 mg of sodium — the daily limit.
Nutrition labels list sodium, not salt, which trips up people converting between the two.
When a recipe or label references one, remember the ~2.5× factor between grams of salt and milligrams of sodium.
The FDA Nutrition Facts label lists sodium in milligrams and as a percent Daily Value (%DV) based on the 2,300 mg limit.
As a quick guide, 5% DV or less per serving is low and 20% or more is high.
Watch serving sizes — a package often contains several servings, multiplying the sodium you actually eat. Comparing %DV across products is the fastest way to choose lower-sodium options.
Sodium is an essential electrolyte lost in sweat, so endurance athletes and those working in heat have higher needs than the general limit implies.
During prolonged exercise, replacing sodium helps maintain fluid balance and prevent hyponatremia. This is the one context where higher sodium intake is appropriate, guided by sweat rate and duration.
For the sedentary majority, however, the concern remains too much sodium, not too little.
People with high blood pressure, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, or salt sensitivity are often advised to follow a lower-sodium diet, sometimes below 1,500 mg. The American Heart Association and clinicians tailor targets to the condition.
A low-sodium diet emphasizes fresh foods, herbs and spices instead of salt, and careful label reading.
Anyone with these conditions should set sodium targets with their healthcare provider rather than a generic number.
The kidneys regulate sodium and fluid balance, so kidney disease impairs the body's ability to handle excess sodium, raising blood pressure and fluid retention.
For people with chronic kidney disease, restricting sodium is a core part of management, per NIH guidance. High sodium intake may also increase the workload on healthy kidneys over time.
This is why this calculator flags kidney disease as a factor lowering the recommended limit.
Practical steps include:
The FDA notes taste buds adjust to less salt within a few weeks.
Gradual reduction is more sustainable than an abrupt cut, and reading labels to compare %DV drives the biggest gains.
Common mistakes include:
Focus on reducing processed and restaurant foods, read labels by %DV and serving count, and tailor limits to your health conditions with professional guidance.
Data sourced from trusted institutions
All formulas verified against official standards.