Is Sodium Salt? What You Need to Know for Your Health

People often wonder if sodium is salt. Sodium and salt are not the same thing, but sodium is one component of salt.

Sodium occurs naturally in some foods and is frequently added as salt during cooking or manufacturing—for flavor or as a preservative.

Sodium plays an important role in cell function, blood pressure control, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission. It’s essential for keeping body fluids balanced. Although sodium is important for optimal health, consuming too much has been linked to health problems including hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiovascular disease, and kidney stones.

This article discusses the difference between sodium and salt, as well as the function of sodium in our body, the risks of too much sodium, and how to reduce sodium in your diet.

Sodium vs. Salt

It’s a common misconception that "sodium" and "salt" are the same thing; in fact, the words are often used interchangeably. But understanding the difference between the two could affect how you manage the nutritional quality of your diet. 

"Salt" refers to the crystal-like chemical compound sodium chloride, while "sodium" refers to the dietary mineral sodium (which is a component of sodium chloride). Salt is made up of 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

The difference is:

• Sodium is found in food, either naturally or manufactured into processed foods.
• Salt is what we add to our food when we use the salt shaker.

Function

Your body takes in sodium through the foods you eat and eliminates extra sodium in perspiration and urine. The role of sodium in overall health is to help cells and organs function properly by regulating blood pressure, supporting muscular contraction, and keeping nerve impulses running smoothly. It’s one of the electrolytes responsible for maintaining a healthy amount of fluids in the body.

Too much or too little sodium can cause some of those bodily processes to malfunction. The body has mechanisms for monitoring how much sodium it’s taken in, and how much it needs to get rid of through urine.

• If sodium levels get too high, the body will often signal the kidneys to get rid of the excess. With kidney disease, getting rid of excess sodium might not be as efficient. This can lead to problems like hypertension.
• If levels dip a bit low, you may start to crave salty foods or produce less urine. In severe cases, this can cause signs of a condition called hyponatremia, which can lead to a medical emergency that affects the brain. Symptoms include dizziness, muscle twitches, seizures, and in severe cases, loss of consciousness.

The body does not produce its own sodium—it is only acquired from food. Unlike other nutrients such as calcium or vitamin D, it is rarely necessary to take sodium supplements. The sodium supplied by a normal diet is typically adequate.

Sodium in the Diet

Sodium is naturally present in foods like celery, beets, and milk. It’s also added to many packaged foods during manufacturing—often in amounts that are considered too high. Restaurant meals and fast foods are also typically high in sodium. 

In fact, most of the sodium we take in comes from eating packaged, processed, and restaurant foods—not from the salt we add to food when cooking or eating at the dinner table. Federal health agencies estimate that more than 70% of the sodium Americans take in is hidden in those processed or packaged foods.

Other potential sources of sodium include drinking water and certain medications, such as acetaminophen and antacids. If you’re concerned that your over-the-counter drug may factor in to your overall sodium intake, your healthcare provider will be able to tell you if any of the medicine you take is potentially problematic.

Foods High in Sodium

More than 40% of the sodium Americans get comes from the following foods:

• Bread and rolls
• Pizza
• Sandwiches
• Smoked or cured meats (bacon, cold cuts, ham, frankfurters, sausage, sardines, and anchovies)
• Soups
• Burritos and tacos
• Savory snacks (chips, popcorn, pretzels, snack mixes, and crackers)
• Chicken
• Cheese and cheese spreads
• Eggs and omelets

Other sources high in sodium include:

• Salted nuts
• Canned beans and vegetables
• Olives, pickles, sauerkraut, and other pickled vegetables
• Commercially prepared pasta and tomato sauces and salsa
• Condiments such as mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, and salad dressings
• Soy sauce and other sauces
  

Health Risks

Consuming excessive amounts of sodium can be a risk factor for high blood pressure in some people, which can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease and stroke.

To avoid those risks, experts recommend most healthy adults take in no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day; 1,500 mg per day is even better. For some context, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that the average American consumes about 3,400 mg of sodium per day—much more than is generally recommended.

Since most diets are too high in sodium, it’s important to pay attention to how much salt and added sodium are present in your food—especially in processed foods like pizza, deli meats, soups, salad dressings, and cheese. But as experts point out, you can’t always count on your taste buds to sound the alarm. Keep in mind that foods high in sodium don’t always taste salty, so watch out for sweet offenders like cereals and pastries too.

Tips to Reduce Sodium in Your Diet

There are many ways to reduce sodium at the grocery store, at home, and when eating out:

• Buy fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables with no salt or sauce added
• Choose packaged foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added” when available
• When buying prepared meals, choose those with less than 600 milligrams (mg) of sodium per meal
• When possible, purchase fresh poultry, fish, pork, and lean meat, rather than cured, salted, smoked, and other processed meats.
• When cooking, use alternatives to replace or reduce the amount of salt you use, such as garlic, salt-free seasonings, or spices.
• Prepare dry or fresh rice, pasta, beans, and meats instead of packaged versions.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Limit sauces, mixes, and instant products, including flavored rice and ready-made pasta.
• When ordering restaurant meals, ask that no salt be added to your meal and vegetables.
• Split a meal with a friend or family member.
• Cook at home more often. make takeout and fast food an occasional treat.

A Word From Verywell

Roughly 90% of Americans ages 2 and older consume too much sodium and don’t even realize it, which can be bad for your health. It's a good idea to check with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about your sodium intake and how it may be affecting your health.

In the meantime, you can become aware of how much sodium you’re consuming by actively seeking out lower-sodium foods, checking the Nutrition Facts labels and ingredient lists on packaged foods, and cooking at home more often—just try to keep the salt shaker use to a minimum. 

That the FDA has been working with the food industry to gradually reduce sodium levels in food in the short and long term. While there’s no quick fix, federal regulators are aiming for a broad reduction in the next several years.