sodium calculator
Quickly estimate your total daily sodium intake from foods and recipes, convert grams of salt (NaCl) to sodium (Na), and check your % Daily Value against widely used guideline limits. Designed for dietitians, athletes, and health-conscious individuals who want precise, label-ready numbers.
Calculator Inputs
Optional lower target (e.g., 2000 mg). Leave blank to compare only with DV base.
Food items
| Food | Sodium / serving (mg)* | Servings* | Total (mg) | Actions |
|---|
Enter sodium from the nutrition label and the number of servings consumed. Required fields are marked *.
Salt ↔ Sodium converter
Change either field to convert.
Total sodium today
0 mg
Salt equivalent
0.0 g
% Daily Value
0%
Versus target
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Authoritative data source & methodology
Primary reference thresholds commonly used on nutrition labels and public health guidance include:
- Daily Value (DV) for sodium: 2,300 mg (U.S. FDA labeling basis).
- Population intake target: many guidelines advise ≈2,000 mg/day (≈5 g salt). Follow your clinician’s advice if different.
Tutti i calcoli si basano rigorosamente sulle formule e sui dati forniti da questa fonte.
The formula explained
Salt → Sodium
$$\\text{Na (mg)} = \\text{Salt (g)} \\times 1000 \\times \\frac{M_{Na}}{M_{NaCl}} \\approx \\text{Salt (g)}\\times 393.4$$ where \(M_{Na}=22.99\\,g/mol\\) and \(M_{NaCl}=58.44\\,g/mol\\).
% Daily Value
$$\\%\\,DV = \\frac{\\text{Total Na (mg)}}{\\text{DV base (mg)}} \\times 100$$
Food total
$$\\text{Total Na (mg)} = \\sum_i (\\text{Na per serving}_i \\times \\text{servings}_i) + \\text{converted Na (mg)}$$
Glossary of variables
| Symbol / Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Na (mg) | Total sodium in milligrams. |
| Salt (g) | Sodium chloride grams. Na ≈ 39.34% of NaCl by mass. |
| DV base (mg) | Daily Value baseline (default 2300 mg). |
| %DV | Percent of daily value: Na ÷ DV × 100. |
| Sodium / serving | Label sodium per serving in mg. |
| Servings | Number of servings consumed. |
How it works: a step-by-step example
Example
Suppose you ate:
- Soup: 650 mg per serving × 1.5 servings = 975 mg
- Bread: 180 mg per serving × 2 servings = 360 mg
- Added salt: 2 g salt → \(2 \\times 393.4 = 786.8\\) mg Na
Total Na = 975 + 360 + 787 ≈ 2,122 mg. With DV base = 2,300 mg, %DV ≈ \(2,122/2,300 \\times 100 = 92.3\\%\\).
Frequently asked questions
Is Himalayan or sea salt lower in sodium?
By weight, sodium content is similar. Mineral differences don’t meaningfully reduce sodium load.
Should I use 2,000 or 2,300 mg as my limit?
Label DV is often 2,300 mg; many public health targets are ≈2,000 mg. Use what your clinician recommends.
How do I handle homemade recipes?
Sum sodium from each ingredient (using databases or labels) and divide by portions to get per-serving sodium.
Does potassium salt (KCl) count?
KCl provides potassium, not sodium. It may taste salty but does not add sodium; consult your clinician regarding potassium intake.
Any quick label heuristic?
≈5% DV (≤115 mg) per serving is low; ≥20% DV (≥460 mg) is high.
Tool developed by Ugo Candido. Content verified by CalcDomain Editorial Board.
Last accuracy review: