Salt Questions · Health & nutrition
What is the difference between sodium and salt?
Short answer
Salt is sodium chloride, a compound of sodium and chloride. Sodium is the part that affects blood pressure, and it makes up about 39% of salt by weight. To turn sodium on a food label into salt, multiply by about 2.5: 2,300 mg of sodium is about 5.8 g of salt.
What salt (sodium chloride) is made of, by weight
- Sodium 39.3%
- Chloride 60.7%
Why labels use both
U.S. and Canadian nutrition labels list sodium; UK and EU labels list salt. Health advice may use either. They are easy to mix up, and the difference is a factor of about 2.5.
Quick conversions
- Sodium → salt: multiply by 2.54
- Salt → sodium: multiply by 0.393
| 2,000 mg sodium | ≈ 5 g salt (WHO limit) |
|---|---|
| 2,300 mg sodium | ≈ 5.8 g salt (U.S. limit) |
| 6 g salt | ≈ 2,360 mg sodium (UK limit) |
Other sources of sodium
Not all sodium comes from salt: baking soda, MSG and other additives contain sodium too. That's why labels list total sodium.
Related on The Salt Almanac
More health & nutrition questions
- Can eating too little salt be dangerous for your heart?
- Why do I crave salt after a workout?
- How does salt intake affect kidney function?
- What is iodized salt and do we still need it?
- Does salt cause inflammation in the joints?
- How long does it take for sodium levels to drop after a salty meal?
Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). What is the difference between sodium and salt. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-the-difference-between-sodium-and-salt
“What is the difference between sodium and salt.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-the-difference-between-sodium-and-salt. Accessed [today's date].
“What is the difference between sodium and salt.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/answers/what-is-the-difference-between-sodium-and-salt.
Original sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in your diet. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
- NHS. Salt in your diet. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/salt-in-your-diet/
- Wikipedia. Sodium chloride. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_chloride