Why sodium adds up at restaurants
The Daily Value for sodium is 2,300mg, about a teaspoon of salt, and the FDA estimates that more than 70% of the sodium Americans eat comes from packaged, prepared and restaurant food. A single fast-food meal can easily use half the day’s allowance.
Every item here has under 500mg, about a fifth of the Daily Value; the median is 210 mg (9%).
What “low sodium” means on a label
Under FDA labelling rules, “low sodium” means 140mg or less per serving. That’s a high bar for restaurant food: 2 items on this list meet it. We use 500mg so the list includes realistic meals and snacks, and exclude items under 100 kcal such as sauces.
Where the sodium hides
Most of the sodium in fast food comes from bread and buns, cheese, cured and seasoned meats, breading, sauces and dressings. Plain grilled proteins, fruit, salads without dressing and sweet bakery items tend to be lowest.