The words salt and sodium are sometimes used interchangeably because most of the sodium we eat is in the form of salt (sodium chloride). Some salts don't contain sodium. Not all foods are created equal. About 90% of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet. Too much sodium increases a person's risk for high blood pressure. High blood pressure often leads to heart disease and stroke. Most of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods and foods prepared in restaurants. Select lower sodium foods when possible and cook more foods yourself, to better control how much sodium you eat.

Top Sources of Sodium in the Diet:

Types of foods matter. Sources of foods matter.  Look for lower sodium choices. Brands of foods matter: Different brands of the same foods may have different sodium levels. For example, sodium in chicken noodle soup can vary by as much as 840 milligrams per serving. Eating less sodium is a challenge

People who should limit their sodium to 1,500 mg a day are:

Americans eat on average about 3,300 mg of sodium a day. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day, and about 6 in 10 adults should further limit sodium to 1,500 mg a day. Foods that otherwise seem healthy may have high levels of sodium (e.g., cottage cheese and turkey breast luncheon meat). Sodium is already part of processed foods and cannot be removed. Sodium is included in surprising ways. For example, much of the raw chicken and pork bought from a store has been injected with a sodium solution. Too many foods in restaurants are high in sodium. Some foods that you eat several times a day, such as bread, add up to a lot of sodium even though each serving is not high in sodium.