Free tool

Sodium & salt intake calculator

Enter your estimated daily sodium or salt intake and see how it lines up against public health guidelines from WHO, DGE, and the AHA - with the source cited for every number.

Your daily intake

See it in Sam

Track this over time, not just once

This calculator gives you one number. Sam's High Blood Pressure program pairs a monthly Mediterranean-diet check-in with your own Apple Health trends, so you can see how your habits move over time.

MEDAS-14

A monthly diet check-in

Once a month, Sam asks the MEDAS-14: 14 questions on a Mediterranean diet, from the PREDIMED study. Your result runs from 0 to 14. The questionnaire looks at diet only. You keep track of your medication and your readings elsewhere in Sam.

  • Resting heart rate as a trend
  • Your activity without writing it down
  • A PDF for your doctor's visit
Sam's High Blood Pressure program screen showing the monthly MEDAS-14 diet check-in

Where sodium usually comes from

Most dietary sodium doesn't come from the salt shaker - it's already in processed and prepared foods. These categories are typically the largest contributors:

Processed & cured meats

Ham, salami, bacon and other cured or smoked meats are salted as part of preservation, not just seasoning.

Ready meals, soups & stock cubes

Packaged soups, instant meals and bouillon cubes concentrate sodium for flavor and shelf life.

Bread & baked goods

Bread is eaten often enough that even a moderate amount per slice adds up over a day.

Cheese & dairy

Many cheeses use salt as part of curing and preservation, not only for taste.

Sauces, condiments & dressings

Soy sauce, stock, ketchup and salad dressings add sodium in small servings that are easy to underestimate.

Salty snacks

Crisps, pretzels and salted nuts are salted directly on the surface, where it's most noticeable.

Most international guidance names sodium limits in milligrams, while nutrition labels in Europe usually list salt in grams. This tool converts between the two and places your estimate next to reference points from three public health bodies, so you can see where you stand - not a diagnosis, just a comparison.

Questions about this calculator

There isn't one universal number: WHO's 2,000 mg is a global recommendation, the AHA names 2,300 mg as its general limit, and DGE's 1,500 mg is framed as an adequate-intake estimate, not a ceiling. What's right for you depends on your health situation - that's a question for a doctor, not this calculator.

They're answering slightly different questions. WHO sets a global upper recommendation for reducing population-wide cardiovascular risk. The AHA distinguishes a general limit (2,300 mg) from a lower, more protective goal (1,500 mg). DGE's figure describes what's typically an adequate amount, not a maximum you should avoid exceeding.

Roughly, yes - it's the standard public-health rounding, and it's the same ratio WHO itself uses (2,000 mg sodium = 5 g salt). The precise chemical conversion is closer to 393 mg per gram, so treat the result as a close estimate, not a lab-exact figure.

No. It only compares a number you enter against public guideline figures - it doesn't measure, diagnose, or assess your health. Like Sam itself, this tool doesn't measure blood pressure; a cuff, at home or at a doctor's office, is what gives a reliable reading.

No - the AHA is explicit that 1,500 mg is an ideal goal it highlights especially for people a doctor has already advised to reduce sodium further, for example due to existing high blood pressure. It isn't presented as a target for the general population.

This calculator is a one-off, single-number lookup for your current sodium or salt estimate. Sam's MEDAS-14 questionnaire, part of the [High Blood Pressure program](/sam/programs/high-blood-pressure), is a broader monthly review of Mediterranean-diet adherence patterns - the two complement rather than duplicate each other.

Living with high blood pressure?

Sam's High Blood Pressure program pairs monthly MEDAS-14 diet check-ins with trends in resting heart rate, movement, and sleep from Apple Health - context for the conversation with your doctor, not a diagnosis.

This calculator compares a self-reported number against published guideline figures. It is general information, not medical advice, and it does not diagnose, treat, or measure anything about your health. Sam does not measure blood pressure or sodium intake directly. For guidance specific to your situation, talk to a doctor.