Food Sources

"Most sodium in the typical American diet comes from processed and prepared foods. Manufacturers add salt to foods to improve texture and flavor, and also as a preservative. The amount of salt in similar food products varies widely. Some foods, such as meat, poultry, and dairy foods, contain naturally occurring sodium. For example, one cup of low-fat milk contains 107 milligrams of sodium. Naturally occurring sodium accounts for less than 12 percent of dietary intake in a typical diet. Selected sodium contents include: breads, 95–210 milligrams per ounce; Rice Chex cereal, 292 milligrams per 1¼ cups; Raisin Bran cereal, 362 milligrams per cup; frozen cheese pizza, 450–1,200 milligrams per 4 ounces; frozen vegetables, 2–160 milligrams per one-half cup; regular-fat salad dressing, 110–505 milligrams per 2 tablespoons; salsa, 150–240 milligrams per 2 tablespoons; reconstituted tomato soup, 700–1,260 milligrams per 8 ounces; potato chips, 120–180 milligrams per ounce; tortilla chips, 105–160 milligrams per ounce; pork, 59 milligrams per 3 ounces; chicken, 69 milligrams per one-half breast; a chicken fast-food dinner, 2,243 milligrams; chicken noodle soup, 1,107 milligrams per cup; a dill pickle, 928 milligrams; soy sauce, 1,029 milligrams per tablespoon; canned corn, 384 milligrams per cup; canned baked beans, 856 milligrams per cup; a hot dog, 639 milligrams; a fast-food burger, 990 milligrams; steak, 55 milligrams per 3 ounces; canned tuna, 384 milligrams per 3 ounces; fresh tuna, 50 milligrams per 3 ounces; dry-roasted peanuts, 986 milligrams per cup; American cheese, 406 milligrams per ounce; and tap water, 12 milligrams per 8 ounces. Sodium levels in milligrams are a required listing on a Nutrition Facts label. Food additives are often high in sodium. Monosodium glutamate contains 12 percent sodium, and baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate, and sodium nitrate or nitrite also contain a significant proportion of sodium. When you see a food’s Nutrition Facts label, you can check the ingredients list to identify the source of the added sodium. To decrease your sodium intake, become a salt-savvy shopper by reading the labels and ingredients lists of processed foods and choosing those lower in salt. Even better, stay away from processed foods and control the seasoning of your foods. Eating a diet with less salty foods diminishes salt cravings, so you may need to try a lower-sodium diet for a week or two before you will be satisfied with less salty food. Salt substitutes often replace sodium with potassium. People with kidney disorders often have problems getting rid of excess potassium in the diet and are advised to avoid salt substitutes containing potassium. People with liver disorders should also avoid salt substitutes containing potassium because their treatment is often accompanied by potassium dysregulation."