Daily Sodium Limit & Label Helper for quick, clear tracking

Calculate daily sodium intake

Choose a daily sodium cap, then add foods by entering mg per serving and how many servings you ate. The running total shows percent of your limit and what remains. Information only—follow your care team’s advice.

Choose a daily limit and add your first item to begin.
Your sodium log
Item mg/serving Servings Sodium (mg) Action

Label math: total mg = mg per serving × servings. %DV converter uses 2300 mg per 100% DV.

Quick lower-sodium swaps
  • Soups: choose reduced-sodium or dilute canned soup with equal water.
  • Beans: pick no-salt-added and rinse before use.
  • Breads: compare labels; aim under 140 mg per slice.
  • Snacks: look for unsalted nuts or air-popped popcorn.
  • Cooking: build flavor with citrus, garlic, herbs, spices, and vinegar.

Daily sodium limit and label helper: tracking, tips, and reading %DV

Daily Sodium Limit & Label Helper turns nutrition labels into a simple running total. Pick a cap that fits your goal or care plan, then add foods using milligrams per serving with the number of servings you had. The tool totals sodium for the day, shows the percent of your limit, and highlights how much is left. This keeps your choices clear, especially when portions are larger than the serving size on the box.

Choosing a practical daily sodium cap

Many people start with a cap between 1500 and 2300 milligrams per day. Some medical plans use tighter limits. If your clinician gave you a specific number, use that and stick with it for consistency. The picker includes common caps plus a custom option so you can match your target exactly.

Reading labels fast

Labels list sodium as mg per serving and sometimes show percent Daily Value (%DV). If you only have %DV, the converter helps: 100% DV equals 2300 mg per day, so 20% DV per serving equals about 460 mg. When the label serving is small and you typically eat more, multiply mg per serving by your servings to get a realistic number.

What the colors and meter mean

The progress meter fills as you log items. Staying under your cap keeps the bar in the comfortable zone; crossing your cap changes the meter style so you can course-correct. If you overshoot, you can still rebalance later meals with lower-sodium picks and more fluids unless your care team says otherwise.

Everyday low-sodium moves

Choose no-salt-added canned goods, rinse beans, compare bread and tortilla labels, and look for soups under 400 mg per serving. In the kitchen, lean on herbs, garlic, onion, citrus, and vinegar. Restaurant dishes vary widely—preview nutrition pages when available and request sauces on the side.

When to use a stricter plan or get advice

Heart, kidney, and liver conditions can require specific sodium limits. Swelling, extreme thirst, or blood pressure concerns are signals to talk with your clinician. This page offers general information only and does not replace medical advice.

Handy benchmarks: Low-sodium: ≤ 140 mg/serving Very low-sodium: ≤ 35 mg/serving High-sodium: ≥ 400 mg/serving

Sodium limit and label helper FAQs

Is sea salt better than table salt for sodium?

Sea, kosher, and table salt deliver similar sodium per gram. Grain size changes teaspoons but not milligrams. Season small, taste as you cook, and lean on herbs.

How much sodium is in a teaspoon of salt?

About 2300 mg of sodium per teaspoon of table salt. Use this to estimate recipes and batch cooking.

Should I track sodium from supplements?

Yes—some effervescent tablets and antacids contain notable sodium. Check labels and add them to the log like any food item.

What if I exceed my cap at lunch?

Balance later meals with lower-sodium choices, emphasize produce, and hydrate unless advised otherwise. Long-term patterns matter more than a single meal.

References: American Heart Association: Sodium basics · FDA: How to use the Nutrition Facts label · WHO: Salt reduction