Share and Follow
These common foods contain more sodium than a small portion of French fries.
French fries are famously high in sodium—one reason they are so delicious. While indulging occasionally isn’t a major concern, excessive sodium intake can lead to health problems, including high blood pressure, and immediate effects like bloating and increased thirst. The FDA advises consuming less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily. With a small serving of Jack In the Box fries containing 610 mg of sodium, it’s surprising to learn that more than 70% of our sodium comes from packaged and prepared foods, not from salt added during cooking or at the table. Here are six foods that surpass the sodium content of a serving of French fries.
Subway’s Buffalo Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken packs 1,180 mg of sodium. In comparison, the Grilled Chicken Salad has a more modest 280 mg, and the Veggie Delight offers just 75 mg. However, the Pizza Sub Wrap contains a staggering 2,290 mg of sodium, nearly an entire day’s recommended intake.
Subway Chicken Salad
Canned soups often contain more sodium than expected. According to Samantha Oldman, MS, a bariatric surgery dietitian at Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Institute, “On average, canned soups contain 700-800 mg of sodium per serving. But remember, there are usually two servings per can. So if you consume one can of soup, you’re likely ingesting 1,400-1,600 mg of sodium, which is as much as 70% of the recommended daily sodium limit.”
Canned Soup
A typical can of soup may contain far more sodium than customers expect. “On average, canned soups contain 700-800mg of sodium per serving,” says Samantha Oldman, MS, a bariatric surgery dietitian with Hartford HealthCare’s Digestive Health Institute. “But keep in mind, there are typically two servings per can. That means if you’re eating one can of soup, you’re likely taking in 1400-1600mg of sodium. That’s as much as 70% of the recommended daily sodium limit.”
Lunch Meats
Lunch meats can be loaded with sodium, experts warn. “Fresh beef, pork, poultry and seafood is generally very low in sodium, but lunch meats can have 400 mg or more per slice and even frozen meats are often soaked in a salt brine to retain moisture through the freezing process,” according to Gundersen Health.
Supermarket Bread
That humble slice of supermarket bread is probably packed with sodium. “On average, there’s 100-200mg of sodium per slice of bread,” Oldman says. “That means that just the bread from one sandwich can account for anywhere from 8-18% of your average daily recommended sodium intake.”
Cheese
Certain cheeses are very high in salt. “A key ingredient in cheese is salt, which acts as a preservative and removes excess water to create a firmer texture. Just one ounce of feta cheese has 320mg of sodium and pasteurized, processed cheeses can have 425mg or more per ounce,” according to experts at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
Salad Dressing
Salad dressing—especially low-fat ones—are notorious for having high amounts of sodium. “The tricky thing about dressing is when you see an option labeled ‘light’ or ‘low-fat,’ they’re often higher in either sodium or sugar to make up for it,” Oldman says. “Most regular salad dressings contain 200-400mg of sodium per 2-tablespoon serving, but many of us use more than that.”
