Sodium Per Serving Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the sodium per serving calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Use the Sodium Per Serving Calculator

Formulas Used

Sodium Per Serving

sodium_per = total_sodium_mg / servings

Salt Equivalent Per Serving

salt_equiv_g = (total_sodium_mg / servings) / 400

% of 2300 mg Daily Limit

pct_daily = (total_sodium_mg / servings) / 2300 * 100

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
total_sodium_mgTotal Recipe Sodium(mg)4800
servingsNumber of Servings6

How It Works

How to Calculate Sodium Per Serving

Formula

Sodium Per Serving = Total Sodium / Number of Servings

Sodium to Salt Conversion

Salt (g) = Sodium (mg) / 400

1 teaspoon of salt contains about 2300 mg of sodium.

Daily Limits

  • AHA recommendation: less than 1500 mg
  • USDA guideline: less than 2300 mg

    • Worked Example

    A soup recipe has 4800 mg total sodium and serves 6.

    total_sodium_mg = 4800servings = 6
    1. 01Sodium per serving: 4800 / 6 = 800 mg.
    2. 02Salt equivalent: 800 / 400 = 2 g salt.
    3. 03% of daily limit: (800/2300) x 100 = 34.8%.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is sodium the same as salt?

    No. Table salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). Salt is about 40% sodium by weight. 1 g salt contains about 400 mg sodium.

    How much sodium is in 1 teaspoon of salt?

    About 2300 mg, which is the entire recommended daily limit.

    What foods are high in sodium?

    Processed foods, canned soups, soy sauce, cheese, bread, and deli meats are common high-sodium foods. Most dietary sodium comes from processed foods, not the salt shaker.

    Ready to run the numbers?

    Open Sodium Per Serving Calculator