Sodium Intake vs Limit Calculator
Compare your daily sodium against the WHO (2,000 mg), US FDA/Dietary Guidelines (2,300 mg), UK (6 g salt) and AHA ideal (1,500 mg) limits — enter sodium in mg, g or mmol, or salt in grams or teaspoons, or list foods from their labels — with the salt equivalent, % Daily Value, children’s limits by age and how much to cut.
How it works
salt (g) = sodium (mg) × 2.5 ÷ 1,000 · sodium (mg) = salt (g) × 400 · share of limit = sodium ÷ limit × 100% · teaspoons ≈ sodium ÷ 2,300 mg · mmol = mg ÷ 22.99 · % Daily Value = sodium ÷ 2,300 × 100%
Health bodies set slightly different daily limits for adults: the World Health Organization recommends less than 2,000 mg of sodium (5 g of salt), the US Dietary Guidelines and the FDA Daily Value use 2,300 mg, the UK NHS says no more than 6 g of salt (about 2,400 mg of sodium), and the American Heart Association suggests an ideal of 1,500 mg, especially for people with high blood pressure. Children need less: the US/Canada limits are 1,200 mg at ages 1–3, 1,500 mg at 4–8, 1,800 mg at 9–13 and 2,300 mg from 14. Table salt (sodium chloride) is about 40% sodium by weight, so 1 g of salt carries about 400 mg of sodium and sodium × 2.5 gives salt. Enter your daily sodium in mg, g or mmol, or switch the unit to grams or teaspoons of salt; or choose “List of foods” and paste each food with its label sodium to get the total, the biggest sources and a chart. The result shows your share of the chosen limit, the salt equivalent, the % Daily Value, a comparison table for every guideline and how much you would need to cut.
Worked example
A 3,400 mg daily intake (about the US average) is 3,400 ÷ 2,300 = 148% of the US limit — 1,100 mg over it — and equals 3,400 × 2.5 ÷ 1,000 = 8.5 g of salt, or about 1.48 teaspoons. Against the WHO limit it is 170%, and getting down to 2,300 mg means cutting 1,100 mg (2.8 g of salt), or 32% of the intake.
Sources: American Heart Association — How much sodium should I eat per day? · WHO — Sodium reduction fact sheet · FDA — Sodium in your diet: use the Nutrition Facts label · NHS — Salt: the facts · National Academies — Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019)
Frequently asked questions
Where does most dietary sodium come from?
For most people the majority comes from packaged and restaurant foods — breads, sauces, processed meats, snacks and soups — not the salt shaker. The “List of foods” mode shows which items on your day contribute most, which is usually the quickest way to find savings.
How do I convert salt to sodium?
Table salt is about 40% sodium (39.3% exactly), so multiply grams of salt by 400 to get milligrams of sodium, or multiply sodium by 2.5 to get salt. So 6 g of salt is about 2,400 mg of sodium. A level teaspoon of fine table salt holds roughly 2,300 mg of sodium.
Which limit should I use: WHO, US, UK or AHA?
They agree that most people eat too much. WHO’s under 2,000 mg is the strictest general limit, the US and the FDA label use 2,300 mg, the UK uses 6 g of salt (about 2,400 mg), and 1,500 mg is the AHA ideal for most adults, particularly with high blood pressure. If a clinician has given you a target, choose “My own limit”.
What does % Daily Value mean on a label?
It is the share of the 2,300 mg FDA Daily Value in one serving. A food with 5% DV or less is considered low in sodium and 20% or more is high. Remember to multiply by the number of servings you actually eat.
Is 1,500 mg a hard target for everyone?
It is the ideal the American Heart Association suggests, while 2,300 mg is the general US upper limit. Very active people who sweat a lot, and some medical conditions, have different needs, so personalise it with a clinician.
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Educational estimate, not medical advice — for personal health decisions consult a qualified healthcare professional.