Is sodium the same as salt?
Not quite. Table salt is one source of sodium, but sodium is also found naturally in foods like milk and meat and is added as ingredients such as MSG, baking soda and sodium nitrite. Food labels list sodium, not salt.
Essential mineral
Sodium, the salt mineral
Sodium is an essential mineral that helps control blood volume and blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working, but too much is linked with high blood pressure1.
What sodium does for you.
Blood volume & pressure
Your body uses sodium to control blood pressure and blood volume3.
Nerve signals
Needed for the transmission of nerve impulses2.
Muscle function
Your muscles need a small amount of sodium to work properly1.
Acid-base balance
Helps maintain plasma volume, acid-base balance and normal cell function2.
How your body handles sodium.
About 90% of the sodium you eat is absorbed in the small intestine and colon, and about half of the body's sodium sits in the fluid outside cells4. The kidneys filter it and, guided by hormones such as angiotensin II and aldosterone, reabsorb what the body needs, while small amounts are lost in sweat and stool4.
Foods and other sources.
Soy saucePicklesCanned soupDeli meatsPizzaCheeseBreadSalty snacks
Vegetarian
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Table salt, 1 tsp | 2,325 mg |
| Soy sauce, 1 tbsp | 879 mg |
| Cheese pizza, frozen, cooked, 1 serving (151 g) | 675 mg |
| Dill pickle, 1 small spear | 283 mg |
| Cheddar cheese, 1 oz slice | 180 mg |
| Potato chips, salted, 1 oz | 148 mg |
| Potato chips, unsalted, 1 oz | 2 mg |
Non-vegetarian
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Chunky chicken noodle soup, canned, 1 cup | 744 mg |
| Chicken noodle soup, reduced sodium, 1 cup | 456 mg |
| Ham, sliced, 2 oz | 456 mg |
Over 70% of the sodium people eat comes from packaged and prepared foods rather than the salt shaker, so comparing Nutrition Facts labels helps1. Amounts per serving from8.
Your daily reference amounts.
The same reference table draws the reference lines on your charts in Ayuvo. Needs differ in pregnancy and breastfeeding, which are not covered here.
Too little, too much.
Signs like these have many possible causes. They are a reason to talk to a clinician, not to self-treat.
Too little
Low blood sodium (hyponatremia) is usually linked to medicines such as diuretics, fluid losses, or heart, kidney or liver conditions6.
- Confusion or restlessness
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting
- Muscle weakness or cramps
- Seizures in severe cases
Too much
Eating too much sodium is linked with high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke1.
- Raised blood pressure
- Higher heart disease and stroke risk
- Kidney disease risk
- Fluid buildup in heart failure
- Stomach cancer risk
- Osteoporosis risk
Blood sodium test.
A blood test measures the concentration of sodium in your blood; high or low values can reflect fluid losses, hormone or kidney problems, or medicines5.
| Blood sodium | What it may mean |
|---|---|
| 135–145 mEq/L | Normal range |
| Below 135 mEq/L | Low (hyponatremia) |
| Above 145 mEq/L | High (hypernatremia) |
Labs use different units and ranges. Your clinician reads a result alongside your history and other tests.
Remember these five.
- Most sodium comes from packaged and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.
- Compare Nutrition Facts labels and pick the lower-sodium version of the same food.
- Cooking at home and seasoning with herbs and spices makes it easier to use less salt.
- Rinsing canned foods such as beans and vegetables can remove some sodium.
- Cutting back when intake is above the level on this page is expected to lower chronic disease risk.
Questions about sodium.
Where does most of the sodium I eat come from?
Over 70% comes from packaged and prepared foods rather than salt added while cooking or eating. Deli meat sandwiches, pizza, savory snacks, soups, bread and cheese are among the largest contributors in the U.S.
What does a blood sodium test show?
It measures how concentrated sodium is in your blood, with a normal range of about 135 to 145 mEq/L. Low or high values usually point to fluid losses, medicines such as diuretics, or hormone, kidney, heart or liver conditions, and are interpreted by a clinician.
Get started
Track sodium in Ayuvo.
Ayuvo charts sodium by day, week, month and year, with the reference lines from this page, personalised by age and sex where they differ. Supplements you log in Medications count too. Free, with no account.
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Sources
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. Intake numbers come from Ayuvo's shared reference table, which cites the sources marked for them.
- Sodium in Your Diet · U.S. Food and Drug Administration checked 2026-09-27
- Salt reduction (fact sheet) · World Health Organization checked 2026-09-27
- Sodium in diet · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine checked 2026-09-27
- Sodium (Strazzullo P, Abate V. Advances in Nutrition, 2025) · PubMed Central checked 2026-09-27
- Sodium blood test · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine checked 2026-09-27
- Low blood sodium · MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine checked 2026-09-27
- Sodium and Potassium Dietary Reference Intake Values Updated in New Report; Introduces New Category for Sodium Based on Chronic Disease Risk Reduction · National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine checked 2026-09-27
- FoodData Central (SR Legacy) · U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service checked 2026-09-27
- Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019) · National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine checked 2026-09-27
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 · U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services checked 2026-09-27
General information, not medical advice. This guide is for healthy adults and does not cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical conditions. It cannot diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a clinician before starting high-dose supplements, or if you think you may have too little or too much of a nutrient. Spotted an error? Email us.
Keep reading.
CalciumBuilds bones and teeth, keeps muscles and nerves workingIronCarries oxygen in your blood; heme and plant iron explainedMagnesiumEnzyme helper for energy, muscles, nerves and bonesPotassiumPowers nerve signals and muscle contractions, balances sodiumZincImmunity, wound healing and taste; watch copper at high dosesPhosphorusBones, teeth and cell energy; in dairy, meat and beansVitamin AVision, immunity and growth; from retinol and beta-caroteneVitamin CCollagen, antioxidant defence and plant-iron absorption