Salt to Sodium Converter (g, mg, mmol)

Salt to sodium converter

Short answer

Salt is about 39% sodium by weight, so 1 g of salt holds about 393 mg of sodium, and sodium × 2.54 gives salt. The World Health Organization advises adults to eat less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day, which is 5 g of salt.

Last reviewed 28 October 20261 published sourcesNot medical advice

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Salt and sodium converter

UK and EU labels list salt; US labels list sodium. Enter either and see the other, plus how it compares with the WHO adult limit.

Enter an amount of salt or sodium.

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Salt to sodium
Salt	Sodium	Sodium (mmol)	Share of WHO limit
0.5 g	197 mg	8.6	10%
1 g	393 mg	17.1	20%
1.5 g	590 mg	25.7	30%
2 g	787 mg	34.2	39%
2.5 g	983 mg	42.8	49%
3 g	1,180 mg	51.3	59%
5 g	1,967 mg	85.6	98%
6 g	2,360 mg	102.7	118%

Salt

Sodium

Sodium (mmol)

Share of WHO limit

0.5 g

197 mg

8.6

10%

1 g

393 mg

17.1

20%

1.5 g

590 mg

25.7

30%

2 g

787 mg

34.2

39%

2.5 g

983 mg

42.8

49%

3 g

1,180 mg

51.3

59%

5 g

1,967 mg

85.6

98%

6 g

2,360 mg

102.7

118%

The WHO limit

The World Health Organization recommends that adults cut sodium to less than 2 g a day (5 g of salt) to lower blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke, and that children's limits be scaled down for their energy needs (WHO, 2012 (sodium)).

Labels in the UK and EU list salt, while US labels list sodium, which is why the same food can look very different on two packets.

Salt and training

Heavy sweaters lose sodium in sweat, so long sessions in the heat can change the picture; work out your sweat losses with the water intake calculator. If you are tracking blood pressure, the blood pressure checker shows which category a reading falls in.

Common questions

How do I convert sodium to salt?

Multiply sodium by 2.54. Salt is sodium chloride, and sodium makes up about 39% of its weight (sodium 22.99 g/mol, chlorine 35.45 g/mol). To go from salt to sodium, divide by 2.54.

How much salt should I eat a day?

The World Health Organization recommends that adults eat less than 5 g of salt a day, which is 2,000 mg of sodium. That counts salt from all foods, not just what you add at the table.

What is sodium in mmol?

Lab results and research papers often give sodium in millimoles. One mmol of sodium weighs 22.99 mg, so 100 mmol is about 2,300 mg of sodium, or 5.8 g of salt.

Salt to sodium converter

Salt and sodium converter

The WHO limit

Salt and training

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Common questions

Sources

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