GOT SALT? Sodium Claims on Food Labels Claim - What they really mean?

Sodium Claims on Food Labels Claim
Explains what sodium claims on food labels such as “sodium-free” or “low-sodium” mean, as defined in federal guidelines.


“Sodium-free”:                                                  Less than 5 mg sodium per serving
“Salt-free”:                                                          Meets requirements for sodium-free
“Low-sodium”:                                                  140 mg sodium or less per serving
“Very low sodium”:                                          35 mg sodium or less per serving
“Reduced sodium”:                                          At least 25 percent less sodium when compared with the   regular version
“Light in sodium”:                                            50 percent less sodium per serving; restricted to foods with more than 40 calories per serving
“Unsalted, no added salt: not a 
sodium-free food”:                                           No salt is added during processing; the labeled product resembles or substitutes for another product that is normally processed with salt


Source: United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Labeling Guide. IX. Appendix A: Definitions of Nutrient Content Claims. FDA website.www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuide/ucm064911.htm. Revised April 2008. Accessed June 21, 2010.

As a rough guide, the maximum amount of salt for babies and children is: (source: national health service, UK

• less than 1g (0.4g sodium) a day from 0-12 months,
• 2g (0.8g sodium) a day from 1-3 years,
• 3g (1.2g sodium) a day from 4-6 years,
• 5g (2g sodium) a day from 7-10 years, and
• 6g (2.4g sodium) a day from 11 years.

Source: CDC

Current dietary guidelines recommend that adults in general should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, if you are in the following population groups, you should consume no more than 1,500 mg per day.

• You are 40 years of age or older.
• You are African American.
• You have high blood pressure.

Tips for Reducing Sodium in Your Diet

	Buy fresh, plain frozen, or canned "with no salt added" vegetables.
	Use fresh poultry, fish, and lean meat, rather than canned or processed types.
	Use herbs, spices, and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table.
	Cook rice, pasta, and hot cereals without salt. Cut back on instant or flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
	Choose "convenience" foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings — these often have a lot of sodium.
	Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium.
	When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
	Choose ready-to-eat breakfast cereals that are lower in sodium.

Source:  http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/sodium/tips.htm