Sodium Can be Sneaky Infographic

Download a PDF

Salt (sodium) can be sneaky

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks can add up to nearly 4,000 mg of sodium for the day.

Throughout the day, the average American consumes nearly 3,400 milligrams of sodium for the day. That is more than two times the amount recommended by the American Heart Association for ideal heart health. Too much sodium can be risky for your health. Thankfully, meals with lower sodium can be just as delicious and can keep your sodium in check.

Here’s how the sodium can add up:

Breakfast

Sausage & cheese omelet with hash browns and orange juice

Total sodium: 697 mg

vs.

Egg and veggie breakfast sandwich on a whole-grain English muffin

Total sodium: 547mg

Breakfast Tip: Add color! Replace some meats, cheeses, and side dishes with flavorful fruits and vegetables.

Morning Snack

Honey bun

Total sodium: 280 mg

vs.

Banana

Total sodium: 1 mg

Snack tip: Satisfy your sweet tooth with a delicious piece of fruit.

Lunch

Turkey sandwich on white bread with cheese and a side salad and a pickle

Total sodium: 1,532mg

vs.

Turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with lettuce and tomato slices with a side salad and cucumber slices

Total sodium: 650 mg

Lunch Tips:

• Use veggies to add flavor instead of salty condiments, sauces and sides.
• Compare labels on salad dressings. Choose the option with less sodium.
• When dining out, ask for your meal to be prepared without extra salt.

Afternoon Snack

Potato chips

Total sodium: 148 mg

vs.

Unsalted almonds

Total sodium: 1 mg

Snack tip:

• Need an afternoon pick-me-up? Choose nuts for extra crunch.
• Compare labels. Choose the item with the lesser amount of sodium.

Dinner

Chicken with boxed macaroni and cheese and frozen veggies (salted)

Total sodium: 1,207 mg

vs.

Chicken with homemade veggie macaroni and cheese and fresh veggies (unsalted)

Total sodium: 370 mg

Dinner Tip:

• Prepare food at home to have more control over the sodium in food. Replace salt in recipes with herbs, spices, citrus, or vinegar.
• Foods that look the same may contain different amounts of salt. Compare labels. Choose the item with the lesser amount of sodium.

Option 1 Grand Total: 3,864 mg sodium

Option 2 Grand Total: 1,569 mg sodium

The daily amount of sodium recommended for ideal health by the American Heart Association for most adults is 1,500 mg.

Take back control of the salt in your food.

© Copyright 2022 American Heart Association, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited.

Download a PDF