Food & nutrition · Sodium
Sodium to salt converter.
Nutrition labels list sodium in milligrams, but salt is what you sprinkle. Convert in either direction and compare with the Daily Value.
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How to convert sodium to salt
Salt is sodium chloride, and sodium is only part of it by weight. The WHO states that less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day is equivalent to less than 5 g of salt, about one teaspoon, which is a factor of 2.5. Multiply milligrams of sodium by 2.5 and divide by 1,000 for grams of salt. Health Canada's Daily Value for sodium for adults and children 4 and over is 2,300 mg. This is a rounded conversion factor; the exact chemistry gives about 2.54.
Worked example. A day at the 2,300 mg Daily Value is 5.75 g of salt (2,300 x 2.5 / 1,000), which is 100% of the Daily Value and 115% of the WHO 2,000 mg level. Going the other way, 5 g of salt is 2,000 mg of sodium, 87% of the Daily Value.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert sodium to salt?
Multiply milligrams of sodium by 2.5 and divide by 1,000 to get grams of salt. 2,000 mg of sodium is 5 g of salt.
How much sodium is in a teaspoon of salt?
The WHO describes 5 g of salt as approximately one teaspoon, so about 2,000 mg of sodium. Real teaspoons vary with the salt grain size.
What is the sodium Daily Value in Canada?
2,300 mg for adults and children 4 and over, and 1,200 mg for food made for children 1 to under 4, per the Health Canada table of daily values.
What does the %DV on the label mean?
Health Canada says 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot of a nutrient.
Sources
Checked
- WHO: Sodium reduction fact sheet
- Health Canada: Table of daily values (nutrition labelling)
- Health Canada: Nutrition labelling, nutrition facts tables
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Scope
Uses the rounded factor 2.5. Sodium limits for people with high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure are set by their clinician. General information, not medical or dietetic advice. Needs differ with age, health conditions, pregnancy and medication, so talk to a registered dietitian or your doctor about your own targets.