How we choose and how we are paid. Products are listed only when the certification we name can be checked in the certifier's own directory, or when they meet the nutrition criteria stated on this page. No company pays to appear here, and we earn nothing from these retailer links today. If that changes, every paid link will be labelled "(paid link)" next to it. We do not show prices because they change daily: check the retailer.
Buy "no salt added" or "low sodium" tins, stocks, nuts and snacks, then check the label. Under US rules (21 CFR 101.61), "low sodium" means 140 mg or less per serving; in the UK, green for salt means 0.3 g or less per 100 g. USDA figures, checked in 2026, show swaps that cut sodium by 80% or more.
How we chose (criteria)
This is a shopping list of product types, not brands, because sodium varies widely between brands and recipes and shoppers need a rule they can apply to any pack. For why sodium matters, how much to aim for and how to cook with less, read our low-sodium diet guide; this page is about what to put in the basket and how to check it.
- Definitions come from the US federal rule on sodium claims, 21 CFR 101.61, the UK government's front-of-pack labelling guidance, and the UK's retained nutrition claims regulation (Regulation 1924/2006, annex).
- Food values are typical figures from the SR Legacy data set in USDA FoodData Central, scaled to the portion shown. They are averages, not the value of any particular product: the pack in your hand may be higher or lower, so always read its label.
- No brands, no prices. No company has paid to appear, and we list types that you can find in most large supermarkets.
All rules and values were checked on 18 October 2026.
What the sodium claims on a US pack mean
The front of a US pack can use only the sodium words that the Food and Drug Administration defines. Each limit applies per "reference amount customarily consumed" (RACC), the standard serving the rule sets for that type of food, and not necessarily to the serving printed on the pack.
| Claim on the pack | The rule | Small print worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium free, no sodium, zero sodium | Less than 5 mg per RACC and per labelled serving | "Salt free" is allowed only if the food meets this sodium-free limit |
| Very low sodium | 35 mg or less per RACC | For small-serving foods (30 g or 2 tablespoons or less) the limit also applies per 50 g; for meals and main dishes, 35 mg or less per 100 g |
| Low sodium | 140 mg or less per RACC | Same 50 g test for small-serving foods; meals and main dishes must have 140 mg or less per 100 g |
| Reduced sodium, less sodium | At least 25% less per RACC than a stated reference food | The pack must name the reference food and give the before and after amounts; the claim is not allowed if the regular version is already "low sodium" |
| No salt added, unsalted, without added salt | No salt added during processing, and the regular version is normally salted | If the food is not sodium free, the pack must say "not a sodium free food" or "not for control of sodium in the diet" |
The last row trips people up most. "No salt added" describes how the food was made, not how much sodium it contains. Tinned vegetables and beans with that label are usually very low, but a "no salt added" soup or sauce can still contain sodium from cheese, stock or other ingredients. Treat the claim as a reason to read the Nutrition Facts panel, not as a replacement for it.
The FDA's Daily Value for sodium is 2,300 mg, and the agency describes 5% DV or less per serving as low and 20% DV or more as high. A serving at 5% DV contains about 115 mg.
UK traffic lights for salt
UK packs show salt, not sodium (salt equals sodium multiplied by 2.5). The colour on the front comes from fixed thresholds in the government's front-of-pack guidance.
| Green (low) | Amber (medium) | Red (high) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foods, per 100 g | 0.3 g salt or less | More than 0.3 g, up to 1.5 g | More than 1.5 g, or more than 1.8 g in one portion |
| Drinks, per 100 ml | 0.3 g salt or less | More than 0.3 g, up to 0.75 g | More than 0.75 g, or more than 0.9 g in one portion |
The portion test applies to food portions over 100 g and drink portions over 150 ml: a large ready meal can show red even when its per-100 g figure is amber. UK claims follow separate rules. "Low salt" means no more than 0.12 g sodium (0.3 g salt) per 100 g, "very low salt" no more than 0.04 g sodium (0.1 g salt), and "no added salt" requires no added salt or salty ingredient and no more than 0.12 g sodium per 100 g.
The low-sodium foods list: everyday swaps
Each row compares the regular version with its no-salt-added or unsalted counterpart, using typical USDA values for the same portion. Your brand may differ, so check the label against the targets above.
| Food type | Portion | Typical sodium, regular | Typical sodium, no salt added or unsalted | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tinned tomatoes in juice | 120 g | 138 mg | 12 mg | Amazon |
| Tinned sweetcorn, with liquid | 125 g | 244 mg | 15 mg | Amazon |
| Tinned green beans, drained | 100 g | 268 mg | 2 mg | Amazon |
| Tinned light tuna in water, drained | 85 g | 210 mg | 42 mg | Amazon |
| Tinned pink salmon | 85 g | 324 mg | 64 mg | Amazon |
| Cottage cheese, 1% fat | 113 g (half a cup) | 459 mg | 15 mg | Amazon |
| Chicken broth, ready to use | 240 g (1 cup) | 890 mg | 72 mg (low sodium) | Amazon |
| Vegetable juice | 240 g (1 cup) | 406 mg | 132 mg (low sodium) | Amazon |
| Butter | 14 g (1 tablespoon) | 90 mg | 2 mg | Amazon |
| Soy sauce | 16 g (1 tablespoon) | 879 mg | 576 mg (low sodium) | iHerb · Amazon |
Naturally low choices need no special version: plain oats (2 mg in 40 g dry), frozen peas without sauce (86 mg in 80 g), plain whole-milk yoghurt (78 mg in a 170 g pot), fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, and unprocessed meat, fish and poultry. Plain frozen vegetables are often as useful as fresh ones and keep for weeks. No-salt-added tinned beans, lentils and chickpeas also count towards fibre; our high-fibre foods list ranks them by grams per serving.
Low-sodium snacks
Snacks are where the unsalted version is easiest to find and the saving is largest. Values are typical USDA figures per 28 g (1 oz) unless stated.
| Snack type | Typical sodium, salted | Typical sodium, unsalted | Find it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-roasted peanuts | 115 mg | 2 mg | iHerb · Amazon |
| Dry-roasted almonds | 66 mg | 1 mg | iHerb · Amazon |
| Plain potato crisps | 148 mg | 2 mg | Amazon |
| Hard pretzels | 347 mg | 70 mg | Amazon |
| Brown rice cakes, per 9 g cake | 23 mg (multigrain) | 2 mg (plain, unsalted) | iHerb · Amazon |
| Air-popped popcorn, per 8 g cup | Depends on what you add | 0 mg | iHerb · Amazon |
Unsalted nuts and seeds are also good sources of potassium, which is part of why the DASH diet uses them, but that same potassium is a reason for care in advanced kidney disease (see below).
Foods that look low but often are not
Some products sound like a safe choice and still carry a lot of sodium. These typical USDA values show where to look twice.
- "Low salt" deli meat. USDA's entry for low-salt deli turkey breast still lists 432 mg in a 56 g portion. "Low salt" on deli packs often means lower than the brand's regular line, not low under the US definition.
- Bread. A 32 g slice of commercial wholemeal bread typically has 146 mg. Two slices at every meal adds up, so compare brands per slice.
- Cheese. In a 28 g piece, Swiss cheese typically has 52 mg, cheddar 183 mg and feta 319 mg. Choosing the type matters more than choosing "reduced fat", which is not a sodium claim.
- Low-sodium soy sauce. At 576 mg per tablespoon it is lower than regular soy sauce, not low. Use less, or dilute it with rice vinegar or citrus.
- Rinsing tinned pulses. Draining and rinsing helps a little: for tinned chickpeas, USDA lists 295 mg per 120 g drained and 254 mg drained and rinsed, about 14% less. Buying "no salt added" tins saves far more.
- Salt itself. One level teaspoon of table salt (about 6 g) contains about 2,325 mg of sodium, slightly more than the whole US Daily Value.
Potassium salt substitutes: what to buy and who should not
Salt substitutes and "lower sodium" salts replace some or all of the sodium chloride with potassium chloride. On the shelf you will see two main types: blends that mix sodium chloride and potassium chloride, and sodium-free products based on potassium chloride. Read the ingredients: the proportion of potassium chloride varies a lot between products.
| Product type | What to check on the label | Find it |
|---|---|---|
| Lower-sodium salt blend (sodium chloride plus potassium chloride) | Sodium and potassium per 1/4 teaspoon; the share of potassium chloride | Amazon |
| Sodium-free salt substitute (potassium chloride) | Potassium per serving; any warning for people on special diets | iHerb · Amazon |
| Salt-free herb and spice blends | That the ingredients contain no salt or potassium chloride | iHerb · Amazon |
The World Health Organization's 2025 guideline suggests that adults in the general population who use table salt switch to a lower-sodium substitute containing potassium, but it does not cover people with kidney impairment, pregnant women or children. The US National Kidney Foundation advises people who need to limit potassium to avoid potassium chloride substitutes and specialty low-sodium foods made with them.
Do not use a potassium-based salt substitute without checking with your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian if you have kidney disease, or if you take medicines that raise potassium. These include potassium-sparing diuretics (such as spironolactone or amiloride), ACE inhibitors (such as ramipril or lisinopril), angiotensin receptor blockers (such as losartan), and potassium supplements. In these situations extra potassium can build up in the blood, which can affect the heart rhythm. Herb and spice blends without salt or potassium chloride are the safer swap. Our renal diet guide explains how sodium and potassium limits fit together.
How to check a label yourself
Take this list to the shop. It works on any pack, whatever the brand.
- Find the sodium line, then the serving size. Compare products per the same serving or per 100 g, not per pack.
- Use the quick US targets. 140 mg or less per serving is "low sodium"; 5% DV (about 115 mg) or less is low; 20% DV (460 mg) or more is high.
- Do not stop at the front claim. "No salt added" and "reduced sodium" are about the recipe or the comparison food, not a guaranteed low number.
- Look for sodium in the ingredients. Salt, sea salt, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), baking powder, monosodium glutamate, disodium phosphate, sodium nitrite and soy sauce all add sodium.
- Spot hidden potassium. "Potassium chloride" in the ingredients matters if you have been told to limit potassium.
- Count the whole portion. A ready meal or soup tin is often two servings on the label; if you eat it all, double the figure.
- Compare like with like. Within a single aisle, such as stocks, breads or tinned soups, sodium can vary several-fold between brands.
Our free healthy eating check gives a quick view of the rest of your diet before you change your shopping.
Outside the US
Retailer stock differs by country, and the links above search US stores. The checks still work, using each country's own label.
- United Kingdom. Use the traffic-light colours and the per-100 g salt figure in the table above. Choosing green or amber for salt across tins, bread and cereal does most of the work.
- Canada. Health Canada's percent Daily Value guide says 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot. Many prepackaged foods that meet set sodium, sugars or saturated fat levels must also carry a "High in" magnifying-glass symbol on the front (Health Canada, front-of-package labelling).
- Australia and New Zealand. A "low salt" or "low sodium" claim means no more than 120 mg sodium per 100 g, according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand. The Health Star Rating on the front is voluntary and scores the whole food, so check the sodium per 100 g in the nutrition panel as well.
When to see a dietitian
A general low-sodium list suits most people who have been told to "cut down on salt". Some conditions need a more exact plan. If you have chronic kidney disease, sodium is often limited alongside potassium, phosphorus and fluid, and an individual kidney plan is safer than a generic list. In heart failure, sodium and fluid targets are set by your cardiology team. For high blood pressure, the DASH pattern combines lower sodium with more fruit, vegetables and dairy. If you also want to cut down on heavily processed foods, our guide to ultra-processed foods is a useful next read.
Book a session with a dietitian
Frequently asked questions
What foods are on a low-sodium foods list?
Fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit, plain oats, rice and pasta, eggs, unprocessed meat, fish and poultry, plain yoghurt and milk, unsalted nuts and seeds, and tinned foods labelled "no salt added". For packaged foods, aim for 140 mg sodium or less per serving in the US, or green for salt (0.3 g or less per 100 g) in the UK. Check bread, cheese and deli meat brand by brand.
What are good low-sodium snacks?
Unsalted nuts, plain rice cakes, air-popped popcorn you season yourself, fresh fruit, vegetable sticks with a home-made dip, and plain yoghurt. USDA data show unsalted dry-roasted peanuts at about 2 mg sodium per 28 g, against about 115 mg for salted. Unsalted pretzels and crisps exist too, but compare labels, because "lightly salted" versions can still be high.
Does "no salt added" mean low sodium?
Not always. Under US rules, "no salt added" means no salt was added during processing to a food that is usually salted. If the food is not sodium free, the pack must also say "not a sodium free food". No-salt-added vegetables and beans are usually very low, but soups and sauces can still be high from other ingredients, so read the sodium figure.
What is the difference between low sodium and reduced sodium?
"Low sodium" is a fixed limit: 140 mg or less per standard serving in the US. "Reduced sodium" is a comparison: at least 25% less than the brand's regular product, which may still be high. For example, a reduced-sodium soup can contain several hundred milligrams per serving. Use the number on the Nutrition Facts panel, not the word on the front.
Are potassium salt substitutes safe?
For most healthy adults, a WHO guideline published in 2025 supports switching table salt for a potassium-containing substitute. They are not suitable without medical advice if you have kidney disease, or take potassium-sparing diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers or potassium supplements, because potassium can build up in the blood. Salt-free herb blends are a safer swap in those cases.
How do I read salt on a UK label?
UK labels give salt per 100 g and per portion. Green means 0.3 g or less per 100 g, amber more than 0.3 g up to 1.5 g, and red more than 1.5 g, or more than 1.8 g in a portion over 100 g. To convert sodium to salt, multiply by 2.5. A "low salt" claim means 0.3 g salt or less per 100 g.
Do rinsed tinned beans count as low sodium?
Rinsing helps, but less than many people expect. In USDA data, draining and rinsing tinned chickpeas cut sodium by about 14% compared with draining alone. Tins labelled "no salt added" usually contain far less to begin with, so they are the better buy if you are watching sodium. Rinsing is still worthwhile for regular tins you already have.
