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How to calculate your sodium in a meal

Father and Son focus on Healthy Nutrition.

Salt (sodium chloride) is one of the most common ingredients in our diets and it’s added to more foods than you might expect, making it tricky to cut down. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt or 2000mg of sodium per day. That’s roughly one level teaspoon, including what’s already in your food. It’s estimated that most people eat double the recommended daily amount.

In South Africa, salt is fortified with iodine, which is essential for several bodily functions, especially thyroid health. However, too much salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Luckily, you can lower your salt intake without losing flavour. Here are some practical tips to help you reduce your daily salt intake:

Understand food labelling

Most of the salt we eat doesn’t come from the saltshaker. Be sure to read nutrition labels carefully and look out for foods high in sodium. 1 gram of sodium = just under 2.5 grams of salt. An even better option would be no-sodium products that still pack powerful flavours like our range of Rajah Curry Powders and Pure Spice Blends.

Tip: If you don’t want to spend extra time in the supermarket looking at all the labels, look for foods labelled ‘low salt’, ‘reduced salt’ or ‘no added salt’.

How to calculate your sodium in a meal

On the food label, look at the sodium content per serving and the serving size for each food item. Then work out the portion size you're having, and you’ll be able to calculate the sodium for your meal.

For example, if you’re having a cheese and tomato sandwich:

  • Look at the bread packet to see the amount of sodium in each slice. Multiply that by two for your sandwich. One slice of bread (40g) has 150mg sodium x 2 = 300mg sodium
  • Do the same for the cheddar cheese. One slice of cheese (28g) = 173mg sodium

Total sodium in the sandwich = 473mg which is 1.18g salt.

You can use this calculator to convert sodium in milligrams to salt in grams in order to stay within the 5 grams recommended daily allowance.

Amount of sodium in popular meals

Fast food and ready-made meals are some of the highest sources of sodium, which makes them tasty but not always the healthiest choice.

  • Cheeseburger: 626mg per serving
  • Hot dog: 566mg per serving
  • Fried chicken: 1190mg per serving (breast with skin, crumbed)

If you do eat out or get takeaway, ask for your meal to be prepared without added salt or choose steamed, grilled, and baked over fried or heavily sauced dishes.

Want to know how to reduce sodium in every meal?

Make more home-cooked meals

Cooking at home gives you full control over how you flavour your food and how much salt you use in each dish. You can also adjust most recipes to be lower in sodium by using low-sodium broths or just omitting salt.

  • Homemade roast chicken: 440mg sodium per 1 cup serving
  • Homemade fish and chips: 303mg of sodium for two pieces of fish and 1 cup of chips
  • Homemade beef stew: 380mg sodium per 1 cup serving

Use natural flavours instead of salt to add flavour when cooking at home

Natural flavours pack a punch for your tastebuds and have the added benefit of being nutritious and full of good vitamins and minerals.

Now that you know how to reduce your sodium intake with homemade meals, where else can you look?

Watch out for sneaky salt sources

Salt tends to sneak into foods that you might not think contain any, especially when the food has a different taste, like sweet. Be cautious of foods you wouldn’t expect to have extra salt, like:

  • Breakfast cereals
  • Bread and rolls
  • Cheese, especially cottage cheese
  • Sauces, salad dressings, and condiments like soy sauce and tomato sauce
  • Veggie burgers
  • Certain vegetable juices
  • Instant puddings

Look for low-sodium alternatives where possible.

Snack with less sodium

Who doesn’t love a snack? There are lots of healthy snacks available that are low in salt or don’t contain any salt. Some options include:

  • Plain rice cakes with avo or the no salt, no sugar peanut butter
  • Fruit and vegetable sticks
  • Low-sodium lean biltong (it’s available in selected stores)
  • Air-popped popcorn with salt-free flavouring
  • Homemade oat energy balls with oats, dates, and a nut butter
  • Homemade roasted chickpeas
  • Plain yoghurt with fresh berries
  • Unsalted nuts or make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit and a bit of dark chocolate

Avoid adding salt at the table

Many people sprinkle salt on food even before tasting it. If that’s something you do, retrain your brain to stop automatically adding extra salt to already-prepared food.

  • Try removing the saltshaker from the table altogether.
  • If you’re used to the habit, replace the salt with a pepper grinder or chilli flakes instead.

Choose fresh food

Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fresh meat are naturally low in sodium, and many delicious combinations can be used to make a healthy meal. Swap meat like ham or sausages with grilled chicken or fish.

Retrain your taste buds

Taste preferences adapt over time. If you gradually reduce your salt intake, your body will stop craving it as much.

  • Start small and stay consistent. After a few weeks, salty foods will start to taste too salty.
  • Don’t cut it all out at once. Gradually reduce salt while upping the use of herbs and spices.
  • While reducing salt, focus on whole foods and home-cooked meals.
  • Explore new types of cuisines outside of your usual choices.
  • Try meals swaps. E.g. If you’d normally have a loaded pizza, try a veg-based pizza with less cheese and a different sauce like pesto or fresh tomatoes.

Final thoughts

Sticking to the WHO salt recommendation is less about cutting everything out and more about making small, consistent changes. By choosing fresh foods, flavouring with herbs and spices, and paying more attention to packaging labels, you can lower your salt intake without sacrificing taste and meal satisfaction. Your heart will thank you!

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