Most adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which is the amount in about one teaspoon of table salt. That’s the upper limit set by the FDA and used on nutrition labels. The American Heart Association goes further, recommending an ideal target of 1,500 mg per day for most adults, particularly those with high blood pressure. The average American currently takes in about 3,300 mg daily, well above either threshold.
The Key Numbers to Know
Several health organizations weigh in on sodium, and their numbers differ slightly depending on whether they’re setting a ceiling or an ideal goal. The FDA’s Daily Value, the number you see on every nutrition facts label, is 2,300 mg. The World Health Organization recommends staying under 2,000 mg per day, equivalent to less than 5 grams of salt. The American Heart Association sets 2,300 mg as its upper limit but considers 1,500 mg the optimal daily target for most adults.
Your body actually needs far less sodium than any of these guidelines suggest. A healthy, active adult requires only 200 to 500 mg of sodium per day to maintain basic functions like nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and fluid balance. Everything above that minimum is a matter of taste, habit, and the realities of modern food.
Recommendations for Children
Kids need significantly less sodium than adults, and the limits scale up with age:
- Ages 1 to 3: less than 1,200 mg per day
- Ages 4 to 8: less than 1,500 mg per day
- Ages 9 to 13: less than 1,800 mg per day
- Ages 14 to 18: 2,300 mg per day
By the time teenagers reach 14, their recommended limit matches the adult guideline. But younger children eating the same packaged and restaurant foods as adults can easily exceed their lower thresholds without anyone noticing.
Why Sodium Affects Blood Pressure
When you eat more sodium than your body needs, your blood holds onto more water to dilute the extra sodium and keep concentrations balanced. Research in the American Journal of Physiology found that high sodium intake increased plasma volume (the liquid portion of blood) by about 315 ml in study participants on high-salt diets. That’s roughly a can of soda’s worth of extra fluid circulating through your blood vessels.
More fluid in the same network of blood vessels means higher pressure against artery walls. Over time, that sustained pressure stiffens arteries and forces the heart to work harder. This is why sodium reduction is one of the first lifestyle changes recommended for people with elevated blood pressure. The American Heart Association notes that simply cutting 1,000 mg of sodium from your daily intake can meaningfully improve blood pressure and heart health.
The 1,500 mg vs. 2,300 mg Question
If you’re generally healthy with normal blood pressure, staying under 2,300 mg per day is a reasonable goal. If you already have high blood pressure, or you’re at higher risk for heart disease, the 1,500 mg target is worth pursuing. The AHA considers 1,500 mg optimal for most adults regardless of blood pressure status, but hitting that number requires significant changes to how most people eat.
For context, a single fast-food sandwich can contain 1,200 mg or more. A cup of canned soup often has 800 to 1,000 mg. Even foods that don’t taste salty, like bread, cereal, and condiments, contribute substantial amounts. Americans get about 70% of their sodium from packaged and restaurant foods, not from the salt shaker at home. That means the most effective way to reduce sodium isn’t putting down the shaker but choosing lower-sodium versions of everyday foods and cooking more meals from scratch.
Converting Sodium to Salt
Sodium and salt are not the same thing, which can make labels confusing. Table salt is sodium chloride, and sodium makes up about 40% of its weight. To convert: 2,300 mg of sodium equals roughly 5.75 grams of salt, or just under a teaspoon. The WHO’s recommendation of less than 5 grams of salt per day works out to about 2,000 mg of sodium.
When reading food labels, look at the sodium line specifically. Some international products list salt content instead, so dividing the salt grams by 2.5 gives you a rough sodium estimate in grams. A food labeled “low sodium” must contain 140 mg or less per serving, while “reduced sodium” simply means 25% less than the original version, which can still be a lot.
Where the Sodium Actually Comes From
The biggest contributors to sodium in the average diet aren’t the foods you’d expect. Bread and rolls are consistently one of the top sources, not because a single slice is particularly salty, but because people eat them multiple times a day. Cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, soups, sandwiches, cheese, and savory snacks all rank high. Sauces and condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, and salad dressings add up quickly too.
Cooking at home gives you far more control. Fresh vegetables, fruit, unprocessed meat, and grains like rice and oats are naturally very low in sodium. Seasoning with herbs, spices, citrus, and vinegar lets you build flavor without relying on salt. If your palate is used to heavily salted food, reducing gradually over a few weeks tends to work better than cutting back all at once. Taste receptors adjust, and foods that once seemed bland start tasting normal within about two to three weeks.