What WHO recommends
For adults, WHO recommends “less than 2000 mg/day of sodium (equivalent to < 5 g/day salt, or approximately one teaspoon).” For children aged 2 to 15, it recommends adjusting that downward based on how much energy they need.1
WHO’s concern is blood pressure: “the primary health effect associated with diets high in sodium is raised blood pressure.” It also notes that in many countries “a significant proportion of sodium in the diet comes from processed foods.”1
Turning one into the other
EU labels declare salt, and the law defines it as “the salt equivalent content calculated using the formula: salt = sodium × 2,5.”2 US labels list sodium in milligrams.
Sodium × 2.5 = salt. Salt ÷ 2.5 = sodium.
So a US label showing 600 mg of sodium is 1.5 g of salt, which is 30% of WHO’s 5 g. An EU label showing 1 g of salt is 400 mg of sodium.
Where it comes from on the list
Salt isn’t the only ingredient that brings sodium with it. Look for these too:
- Salt, sea salt, rock salt, sodium chloride
- Soy sauce and fish sauce
- Monosodium glutamate, or MSG
- Anything with “sodium” in its name, such as sodium bicarbonate, which is baking soda