US Trends

how much sodium per day

Most healthy adults should aim for less than about 2,000–2,300 mg of sodium per day (around one level teaspoon of table salt), and many heart experts encourage getting closer to 1,500 mg if you’re at higher risk for blood pressure or heart disease.

Quick Scoop

Core numbers to know

  • General healthy adult :
    • Aim for under 2,300 mg sodium per day.
* This is roughly the sodium in one teaspoon of table salt.
  • Higher‑risk groups (high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, older age, or told by your doctor to “watch your salt”):
    • Often advised to aim around 1,500 mg per day.
  • Absolute minimum the body needs :
    • Your body can function on under 500 mg per day, but almost nobody eats that little because sodium is in many foods, especially processed ones.
  • What people actually eat :
    • Many adults average 3,300–4,300 mg sodium per day, about double the recommended limit.

Why the limit matters

Too much sodium pulls extra water into your bloodstream, which can raise blood pressure and strain your heart and blood vessels over time. Over years, this increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and heart failure, especially if you’re already prone to high blood pressure.

Health organizations worldwide now treat sodium reduction as a key strategy to prevent chronic disease, because most populations consume more than recommended.

Practical daily targets (by situation)

Always follow personal advice from your doctor or dietitian first, especially if you have heart, kidney, or blood pressure issues.

  • If you’re generally healthy and just want to stay that way:
    • Use “under 2,000–2,300 mg per day” as a realistic, protective ceiling.
  • If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, or your doctor has warned you about salt:
    • A common target is about 1,500 mg per day, or as low as your clinician recommends.
  • If you’re an athlete or very active:
    • You still usually don’t need more than the general limit; your total amount should be individualized (sweating a lot may change needs, but this should be managed with a professional, not by adding random extra salt).

How to spot sodium in your day

Even if you don’t add much salt at the table, most sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods , not the salt shaker. A few examples:

  • Packaged breads, soups, canned foods, frozen meals, sauces, deli meats, cheese and fast food often contain several hundred milligrams per serving.
  • Reading labels helps:
    • 5% Daily Value (DV) or less per serving = low sodium
    • 20% DV or more per serving = high sodium

Simple rules of thumb

  • Use the 2,000–2,300 mg number as your daily “speed limit.”
  • If you’re higher‑risk, talk to your clinician about aiming closer to 1,500 mg.
  • Focus on:
    • More fresh foods (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unsalted nuts).
* Cooking at home with minimal added salt, using herbs, spices, lemon and vinegar instead.

* Choosing “low sodium” or “no salt added” versions when possible.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.