How much salt per day? Limits, hidden sources and easy swaps
How much salt per day is safe? WHO and NHS limits, salt vs sodium conversion, high sodium foods, what counts as high per 100 g and easy ways to cut back.
By the Green Point editorial teamUpdated 6 min readKey takeaways
- WHO recommends less than 5 g of salt a day for adults (just under a teaspoon), which equals less than 2,000 mg of sodium.
- The NHS sets 6 g of salt for adults; in the US, the FDA advises less than 2,300 mg of sodium, the Daily Value on Nutrition Facts labels.
- To turn sodium into salt, multiply by 2.5: 1 g of sodium is 2.5 g of salt.
- Around three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in bought foods such as bread, processed meat, cheese, sauces and ready meals.
- Per 100 g, more than 1.5 g of salt is high and 0.3 g or less is low.
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The World Health Organization recommends that adults eat less than 5 g of salt a day, which is just under one teaspoon and equals less than 2,000 mg of sodium. The NHS sets a maximum of 6 g, and the FDA advises less than 2,300 mg of sodium. Most adults eat far more, mostly from bread, processed meat, cheese, sauces and ready meals.
How much salt per day? Limits for adults and children
| Source | Daily limit for adults | As sodium |
|---|---|---|
| World Health Organization | Less than 5 g salt | Less than 2,000 mg |
| NHS (UK) | No more than 6 g salt (about 1 level teaspoon) | About 2,400 mg |
| FDA (US), also the Nutrition Facts Daily Value | About 5.75 g salt | Less than 2,300 mg (adults and teens 14 and up) |
Average intake is much higher. WHO estimates that adults worldwide eat around 11 g of salt a day, more than double its recommendation, and the FDA puts the average American intake at about 3,400 mg of sodium.
Salt limits for children
Children need less. The NHS recommends no more than 2 g of salt a day at ages 1 to 3, 3 g at ages 4 to 6, 5 g at ages 7 to 10 and 6 g from age 11. Babies under 1 should have less than 1 g, because their kidneys are not fully developed, so do not add salt to baby food or use stock cubes and gravy in it.
Salt vs sodium: what is the difference?
Table salt is sodium chloride. Sodium is the part that affects blood pressure, and it makes up about 40% of salt by weight. EU and UK labels show salt, while US and Canadian labels show sodium in milligrams, which makes the numbers look very different.
- Sodium to salt: multiply by 2.5. For example, 600 mg of sodium is 1.5 g of salt.
- Salt to sodium: divide by 2.5. For example, 5 g of salt is 2,000 mg (2 g) of sodium.
Sodium also comes from other ingredients, such as monosodium glutamate or baking soda, which is why labels calculate salt from total sodium.
Why too much salt matters
Eating too much sodium raises blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke. WHO also links high sodium intake to a higher risk of stomach cancer and kidney disease. Cutting down lowers blood pressure in many people, and the effect tends to be larger in people who already have high blood pressure.
In the short term, a salty meal can make your body hold on to more water, which some people notice as puffiness, for example bags under the eyes the next morning.
High sodium foods: where salt hides
The salt shaker is not the main problem. According to the NHS, around three-quarters of the salt we eat is already in the foods we buy, and the FDA says more than 70% of the sodium Americans eat comes from packaged and prepared foods. The usual suspects:
- Bread and breakfast cereals: not very salty per slice, but eaten often.
- Processed meats: bacon, ham, salami, sausages and deli meat.
- Cheese, olives, pickles and smoked or cured fish.
- Sauces and condiments: soy sauce, ketchup, gravy, stock cubes, mustard and many cooking sauces.
- Ready meals, pizza, soups and instant noodles.
- Savory snacks: chips, salted nuts and crackers.
- Takeaways and restaurant meals, which are often much saltier than home cooking.
Many of these are ultra-processed foods, which is one reason cooking more at home is such an effective way to cut salt.
How much salt per 100 g is high?
Use the per 100 g column on the label. In the UK traffic-light system, more than 1.5 g of salt (0.6 g sodium) per 100 g is high and 0.3 g of salt (0.1 g sodium) or less is low. On US labels, 5% Daily Value of sodium per serving or less is low and 20% or more is high. Our guide on reading nutrition labels covers the other nutrients.
How to reduce salt intake: easy swaps
- Compare brands: salt in bread, cereals, soups and sauces varies a lot between products, so the same food can be much lower in salt.
- Cut back on processed meat: swap ham or salami for chicken, eggs, hummus or fish without added salt.
- Taste before you salt: add salt at the end of cooking, and leave the shaker off the table.
- Flavor with other things: herbs, spices, garlic, lemon, vinegar and pepper.
- Go easy on sauces and stock: use low-salt stock, or half a cube, and smaller amounts of soy sauce.
- Choose unsalted versions: plain nuts, canned vegetables and pulses with no added salt, or rinse canned beans.
Frequently asked questions
Is sea salt or pink Himalayan salt healthier than table salt?
Not really. Sea salt, rock salt and pink Himalayan salt are all mostly sodium chloride and contain about the same amount of sodium per gram. The trace minerals they contain are present in very small amounts. Coarse crystals can taste stronger, but they count toward your daily salt limit just like table salt.
Should I use iodized salt?
WHO recommends that all the salt you do use is iodized, alongside eating less salt overall. Iodine is important for the thyroid, especially in pregnancy. Fish, dairy and eggs are other sources. Using iodized salt does not mean you should eat more salt.
Can you eat too little salt?
For most healthy people eating packaged and restaurant food, very low intake is unlikely, since salt is in so many foods. People who sweat heavily for long periods, or who have certain medical conditions, may need more, and some medicines affect sodium levels. If you have a health condition, follow your doctor's advice.
Are salt substitutes a good idea?
Salt substitutes replace part of the sodium with potassium, and WHO suggests them as one way to lower sodium intake. However, extra potassium can be dangerous for people with kidney disease or those taking certain blood pressure medicines. Check with your doctor first, and remember that simply using less salt and fewer salty foods works too.
Sources
- Sodium reductionWorld Health Organization
- Salt in your dietNHS
- Sodium in Your DietU.S. Food and Drug Administration
This guide is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have a skin, allergy or health concern, talk to a doctor, dermatologist or dietitian. Green Point scores and Skin Scan results are informational and are not a diagnosis.
