According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, intake of too much sodium increases your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that individuals get less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. That number drops to 1,500 mg for individuals age 51 and over, African-Americans of any age and people with chronic kidney disease, diabetes or hypertension. The ability to measure your sodium intake will allow you to make dietary adjustments for better health.
Step 1
Go to the "Nutrition Facts" section of your food label. Determine how many servings of food you will eat from the serving size measurements at the top of the food label.
Step 2
Look down to the row labeled "Sodium." The first number to the right of the label is the amount of sodium in milligrams per serving of food you eat.
Step 3
Multiply the amount of sodium in milligrams per serving of food by the number of servings of food you intend to eat. For example, there are 150 mg of sodium in 2 tbsp of peanut butter. According to the "Nutrition Facts" label of peanut butter, 2 tbsp make up one serving of this food item. If you decide to eat two servings of peanut butter, your sodium intake is 150 mg multiplied by two servings, or 300 mg of sodium.
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