🔬 The science, kept simple
Sodium keeps fluid balanced and nerves firing, and you truly need some every day. But the modern problem runs the other way: roughly 7 in 10 milligrams of the sodium people eat comes already mixed into packaged and restaurant food, not from the shaker, and the running surplus pulls water into the blood and pushes pressure up.
Why you need it: Fluid balance, nerve signals, and muscle function... in amounts a whole-food diet supplies easily.
Daily target: Under 2,300 mg a day for most adults; the average American eats about 3,400 mg.
📖 In Scripture
Jesus called His people 'the salt of the earth' (Matthew 5:13), and salt sealed covenants in Scripture (Numbers 18:19). Salt is precious in Scripture precisely because a little goes so far.
🥇 Best food sources, ranked
- The honest list runs backward: bread, pizza, sandwiches, cured foods, soups, and snacks carry most of it ... roughly 70% of intake comes from processed and restaurant food
- Whole foods... fruits, vegetables, beans, grains ... naturally low, usually under 50 mg per serving
- A pinch of salt added to home cooking ... about 580 mg per quarter teaspoon... you control it
Figures are approximate, in the style of USDA FoodData Central; real foods vary with soil, variety, and cooking.
⚖️ Worth knowing
This is the one mineral on this list most people need LESS of. Cutting packaged food does more than easing up on the shaker. Aggressive salt restriction can matter for some conditions... that call belongs to your doctor.
Matters most for
Educational information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor before supplements, especially with kidney, thyroid, or heart conditions or in pregnancy.