Sodium-rich foods: understanding, choosing, and portioning

Sodium is an essential nutrient that is often discussed, but not always in a positive light. Overconsumption can be detrimental to health, and a deficiency is also problematic. Yet, your body needs it to function properly. The goal is not to eliminate it completely from your diet, but to find a balance between sufficient intake and harmful excess.

What role does sodium actually play in the body? What are the foods rich in sodium and how can you adjust your intake? Whether you're looking to reduce your consumption for health reasons, better understand your needs as an athlete, or simply make more informed dietary choices, this guide provides concrete answers.

What is the purpose of sodium in the body?

Role of sodium

Sodium is an essential mineral, just like potassium and chloride. In its ionic form (Na⁺), it is not limited to being a mere component of table salt. It is an electrolyte involved in several key physiological functions:

- Regulation of fluid volume: Sodium controls the distribution of water inside and outside your cells. It thus contributes to maintaining blood pressure and fluid balance.

-Absorption and transport of nutrients : it allows essential nutrients, such as glucose and amino acids, to enter your cells via cotransport mechanisms. This is why oral rehydration solutions as well as isotonic or hypotonic drinks always combine sodium and glucose.

Transmission of electrical signals: in interaction with potassium (K⁺), sodium participates in the propagation of nerve impulses and muscle contraction, particularly in the heart.

Good to know: approximately 95% of the sodium in the body is found in the extracellular compartment, i.e., in the blood and the fluids surrounding your cells.

Recommended sodium intake

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), daily sodium intake should not exceed 2,000 mg, or approximately 5 g of salt per day. This limit applies to healthy adults, including those with high blood pressure, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women, except in specific clinical situations.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets a similar value for the European population. For children, the threshold is adapted to their energy needs and growth.

In most countries, dietary habits deviate significantly from these recommendations. In France, for example, the average salt consumption among adults is estimated at 9 g/day for men and 7 g/day for women, which is above the targets set by the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS), which makes salt reduction a priority (ANSES, 2017).

What are the foods rich in sodium

Foods naturally rich in sodium

Aside from salt, few foods are naturally rich in sodium.

Among them are:

• Seaweeds: nori, wakame, kombu.
• Seafish: salmon, herring, fresh sardines.
• Shellfish and seafood: mussels, oysters, shrimp.

Vegetables like celery, spinach, Swiss chard, or beetroot are richer in sodium than average, although their content remains low compared to processed foods.

Certain dairy products (milk, plain yogurt) and eggs also naturally contain sodium, but at a more moderate level.

Highly salted processed foods

Industrial products often contain surprising amounts of sodium, even when they don't taste particularly salty.

Salt is used not only to enhance flavor but also to extend shelf life.

The main foods rich in sodium are :

• Cereal products and breads : white bread, sandwich bread, croissants.
• Processed meats : cold cuts, dry sausages, smoked ham, bacon.
• Salted/dried fish : anchovies, salted cod, smoked herring.
• Aged cheeses : Roquefort, feta, Parmesan, Emmental.
• Prepared and frozen meals : industrial pizzas, quiches, lasagna, boxed soups.
• Snacks and appetizers : chips, salted peanuts, appetizer crackers.
• Condiments and sauces : soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, dehydrated bouillon cubes.
• Canned and jarred foods : canned vegetables, tuna, beans, canned sardines.

Good to know : in developed countries, 75 to 80% of salt intake comes from these types of foods, as highlighted in a review published in Nutrients (Moreira & Gonçalves, 2023).

Table of main sodium-rich foods

The values indicated are averages per 100g of food and come from the CIQUAL (ANSES) database and other reliable sources. They may vary depending on the brand, recipe, or preparation method.

When should you increase your sodium intake?

During prolonged exertion, especially in hot conditions, you can lose significant amounts of sodium through sweat. Exclusive hydration with pure water can cause hyponatremia, a potentially serious condition. You should therefore temporarily increase sodium intake, for example, with appropriate hydration drinks or sodium-rich water.

In cases of gastroenteritis, severe diarrhea, or vomiting, especially in children and fragile individuals, a moderate increase in sodium and potassium intake via oral rehydration solutions is necessary to compensate for losses and prevent dehydration.

Certain treatments, particularly diuretics, can increase urinary sodium excretion. An adjustment of your intake is therefore necessary under medical supervision (Capinha et al., 2025).

If you suffer from orthostatic hypotension (a drop in blood pressure when standing up), your doctor may ask you to temporarily increase your salt intake to stabilize blood pressure (Loughlin et al., 2020).

When should you limit high-sodium foods?

If you suffer from high blood pressure, heart failure, or chronic kidney failure, reducing your consumption of high-sodium foods is one of the first measures your doctor will recommend.

A Cochrane meta-analysis shows that a modest but sustained reduction over time is sufficient to lower blood pressure, both in hypertensive and normotensive individuals.

How to adjust your sodium intake?

Reducing sodium doesn't mean eating bland food. Here are some concrete and effective strategies:

Replace some of the salt with aromatics: fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley), spices (paprika, turmeric, cumin)... (Petersen et al., 2024).

Prioritize homemade food: cook your own meals to better control the amount of added salt and limit hidden sources of sodium. For example, a cup of homemade soup generally contains 150 to 200 mg of sodium, while a cup of canned soup contains 400 to 500 mg, two to three times more.

Read labels: systematically check the sodium content on packaging. Choose products that are low in sodium (<120 mg/100 g), very low in sodium (<40 mg/100 g), or have no added salt. Be careful: "no added salt" does not necessarily mean "no sodium," as the food may contain it naturally.

Gradually reduce salt: decrease the amount over several weeks rather than abruptly, and appreciate the natural flavors of foods.

Increase potassium intake: vary your sources of potassium to counteract the effects of sodium on blood pressure. You can also use reduced-sodium salt, where some of the sodium is replaced by potassium, with medical advice.

Rinse canned foods: drain and rinse canned vegetables, legumes, and fish. This simple action can remove more than 30% of the sodium.

Choose alternatives: chicken or turkey breast instead of ham, balsamic vinegar instead of soy sauce, etc.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the highest sodium food?

The food richest in sodium is dietary white salt (whether iodized or not, fluoridated or not) with 39,100 mg of sodium per 100 g.

What is the difference between salt and sodium?

Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). It contains 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. Thus, 1 g of salt provides approximately 400 mg of sodium. On labels, "salt" refers to the total amount of sodium chloride, while "sodium" indicates only the sodium portion.

Can you have a sodium deficiency?

Yes, this is hyponatremia. It mainly occurs during prolonged exertion with excessive hydration without sodium intake, or in cases of significant vomiting or diarrhea. However, in a healthy person with a normal diet, sodium deficiency is very rare.

Is cheese high in sodium?

Yes, some cheeses are relatively high in sodium, especially Roquefort, feta, Parmesan, or Emmental. Their content generally ranges from 300 to 1,400 mg of sodium per 100 g.

How much sodium per day is recommended?

The WHO recommends less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day for adults to limit and prevent the risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

In summary: What to remember

Sodium is not your enemy: it's its excess that makes it a risk factor. In the long term, excessive consumption promotes high blood pressure and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. That's why the WHO recommends not exceeding 2,000 mg per day.

To achieve this, limit processed products (prepared meals, cold cuts, sauces, snacks), prioritize homemade meals, and read labels.

Certain specific situations, such as prolonged exertion, intense heat, or confirmed hypotension, may justify higher intakes.

Bibliography

EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). (2019). Dietary reference values for sodium. EFSA Journal, 17(9), e05778. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5778

World Health Organization. (2012). Guideline: sodium intake for adults and children. World Health Organization. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK133292/

Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES). (2026). Base CIQUAL — table de composition nutritionnelle des aliments. https://ciqual.anses.fr

He, F. J., Li, J., & MacGregor, G. A. (2013). Effect of longer-term modest salt reduction on blood pressure. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4), CD004937. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004937.pub2

Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l’alimentation, de l’environnement et du travail (ANSES). (2017). INCA 3 : Évolution des habitudes et modes de consommation, de nouveaux enjeux en matière de sécurité sanitaire et de nutrition [Rapport]. ANSES. https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/inca-3-evolution-des-habitudes-et-modes-de-consommation-de-nouveaux-enjeux-en-matière-de-sécurité-sanitaire-et-de-nutrition

Moreira, P., & Gonçalves, C. (2023). Reducing dietary sodium and improving human health 2.0. Nutrients, 15(23), 4965. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15234965

Capinha, M., Lavrador, M., Liberato, J., Pinheiro, A., Aveiro, A., Figueiredo, I. V., & Castel-Branco, M. (2025). Drug-Induced Hyponatremia: Insights into Pharmacological Mechanisms and Clinical Practice Management. Journal of clinical medicine, 14(18), 6584. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14186584

Loughlin, E. A., Judge, C. S., Gorey, S. E., Costello, M. M., Murphy, R. P., Waters, R. F., Hughes, D. S., Kenny, R. A., O'Donnell, M. J., & Canavan, M. D. (2020). Increased Salt Intake for Orthostatic Intolerance Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The American journal of medicine, 133(12), 1471–1478.e4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.05.028

Petersen, K. S., Fulgoni, V. L., Hopfer, H., Hayes, J. E., Gooding, R., & Kris-Etherton, P. (2024). Using herbs/spices to enhance the flavor of commonly consumed foods reformulated to be lower in overconsumed dietary components is an acceptable strategy and has the potential to lower intake of saturated fat and sodium : A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey analysis and blind tasting. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 124(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2023.07.025