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Nutrient comparisonUSDA survey foods

Sodium in common meals: compare USDA values

Sodium can change dramatically with salt, sauces, broth, curing, cheese, seasoning blends, and restaurant preparation. The table surfaces records with higher sodium density so differences are visible; it is not a list of recommended foods.

Read the rank carefully

Concentration and portion answer different questions.

Per 100 grams is useful for comparing concentration, while the source serving shows how portion size changes the amount. FDA Daily Values are general label references, not personal medical limits.

Boundary: If you have a clinician-directed sodium limit, use the current label or recipe and your actual portion rather than relying on a generic meal name.

USDA comparison

Records with more sodium per 100 grams

The list surfaces the strongest values in this specific survey-food corpus. Open any row to see household portions, the full nutrient panel, uncertainty factors, and the exact FoodData Central record.

Rank and foodPer 100 gPer source servingServing context
01Black bean sauceSauces, fats & condiments 5,840 mg 1,868.8 mg≈ 81% label Daily Value Typical reported amount54 kcal in that serving
02Fish, anchovyFish & seafood 3,670 mg 3,119.5 mg≈ 136% label Daily Value Typical reported amount179 kcal in that serving
03Beef, dried, chipped, uncookedMeat & poultry 2,790 mg 1,116 mg≈ 49% label Daily Value Typical reported amount61 kcal in that serving
04Beef, dried, chipped, cooked in fatMeat & poultry 2,520 mg 1,083.6 mg≈ 47% label Daily Value Typical reported amount97 kcal in that serving
05Shrimp, driedFish & seafood 2,180 mg 1,853 mg≈ 81% label Daily Value Typical reported amount213 kcal in that serving
06Fat back, cookedSauces, fats & condiments 2,040 mg 326.4 mg≈ 14% label Daily Value Typical reported amount120 kcal in that serving
07Turkey bacon, cookedMeat & poultry 2,020 mg 444.4 mg≈ 19% label Daily Value Typical reported amount81 kcal in that serving
08Pork skin rindsMeat & poultry 1,820 mg 546 mg≈ 24% label Daily Value Typical reported amount163 kcal in that serving
09Beef jerkyMeat & poultry 1,780 mg 534 mg≈ 23% label Daily Value Typical reported amount123 kcal in that serving
10Stewed dried beef, Puerto Rican styleMixed dishes 1,770 mg 2,655 mg≈ 115% label Daily Value Typical reported amount387 kcal in that serving
11Papad, grilled or broiledBeans, nuts & protein foods 1,740 mg 156.6 mg≈ 7% label Daily Value Typical reported amount33 kcal in that serving
12Bacon or side pork, fresh, cookedMeat & poultry 1,680 mg 268.8 mg≈ 12% label Daily Value Typical reported amount75 kcal in that serving
13Pork bacon, smoked or cured, cookedMeat & poultry 1,680 mg 268.8 mg≈ 12% label Daily Value Typical reported amount75 kcal in that serving
14Cheese spread, American or Cheddar cheese baseDairy 1,620 mg 340.2 mg≈ 15% label Daily Value Typical reported amount61 kcal in that serving
15Beef, bacon, cookedMeat & poultry 1,500 mg 195 mg≈ 8% label Daily Value Typical reported amount58 kcal in that serving
16Bacon strip, meatlessBeans, nuts & protein foods 1,460 mg 233.6 mg≈ 10% label Daily Value Typical reported amount49 kcal in that serving
17Cheese, AmericanDairy 1,430 mg 300.3 mg≈ 13% label Daily Value Typical reported amount71 kcal in that serving
18Cheese, American and Swiss blendsDairy 1,430 mg 300.3 mg≈ 13% label Daily Value Typical reported amount71 kcal in that serving
19Cheese, American, nonfat or fat freeDairy 1,320 mg 277.2 mg≈ 12% label Daily Value Typical reported amount26 kcal in that serving
20Cheese, with wineDairy 1,280 mg 179.2 mg≈ 8% label Daily Value Typical reported amount43 kcal in that serving
21Nutritional powder mix, high protein (Herbalife)Beans, nuts & protein foods 1,210 mg 302.5 mg≈ 13% label Daily Value Typical reported amount98 kcal in that serving
22Cheese, American, reduced fatDairy 1,200 mg 252 mg≈ 11% label Daily Value Typical reported amount50 kcal in that serving
23Casabe, cassava breadBreads & baked goods 1,180 mg 1,180 mg≈ 51% label Daily Value Typical reported amount299 kcal in that serving
24Caesar dressing, lightSauces, fats & condiments 1,150 mg 345 mg≈ 15% label Daily Value Typical reported amount33 kcal in that serving
25Cheese, Blue or RoquefortDairy 1,150 mg 241.5 mg≈ 11% label Daily Value Typical reported amount74 kcal in that serving
26Italian dressing, fat freeSauces, fats & condiments 1,130 mg 316.4 mg≈ 14% label Daily Value Typical reported amount13 kcal in that serving
27Cheese spread, American or Cheddar cheese base, reduced fatDairy 1,100 mg 231 mg≈ 10% label Daily Value Typical reported amount37 kcal in that serving
28Bacon biscuit sandwichSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,090 mg 1,144.5 mg≈ 50% label Daily Value Typical reported amount401 kcal in that serving
29Salami sandwich on wheatSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,080 mg 1,242 mg≈ 54% label Daily Value Typical reported amount367 kcal in that serving
30Salami sandwich on whiteSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,080 mg 1,242 mg≈ 54% label Daily Value Typical reported amount369 kcal in that serving
31Salami sandwich on white, with cheeseSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,070 mg 1,444.5 mg≈ 63% label Daily Value Typical reported amount440 kcal in that serving
32Salami sandwich on wheat, with cheeseSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,060 mg 1,431 mg≈ 62% label Daily Value Typical reported amount439 kcal in that serving
33Italian sandwich or sub, restaurantSandwiches, burgers & wraps 1,050 mg 2,047.5 mg≈ 89% label Daily Value Typical reported amount610 kcal in that serving
34Livers, chicken, chopped, with eggs and onionMeat & poultry 1,050 mg 1,638 mg≈ 71% label Daily Value Typical reported amount353 kcal in that serving
35Pork, ham hocksMeat & poultry 1,040 mg 884 mg≈ 38% label Daily Value Typical reported amount228 kcal in that serving
36Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cookedMeat & poultry 1,030 mg 133.9 mg≈ 6% label Daily Value Typical reported amount70 kcal in that serving

This is a descriptive ranking, not a list of recommended portions. Values are rounded for readability; each linked profile retains the source details.

A three-step comparison

Move from a ranked record to your actual meal.

  1. 01

    Match the description

    Open the closest record and check its exact USDA food description, ingredients implied by the name, and preparation style.

  2. 02

    Match the amount

    Use the household portions or gram calculator instead of assuming the database's source serving equals what you ate.

  3. 03

    Add what the record misses

    Brands, recipes, sauces, cooking fat, fortification, and substitutions can move sodium and the rest of the nutrient profile.

Why two versions of the same meal can differ

Food names are useful search labels, not complete recipes. A restaurant dish, homemade version, frozen entrée, and school meal may share a familiar name while using different ingredients and portions. Water loss during cooking can also raise the amount per 100 grams without adding more of the nutrient to the original ingredients.

USDA survey-food records are valuable because they provide a traceable comparison point. They do not remove normal variation. For a packaged item, use the current label; for a homemade dish, a weighed recipe can be more specific than a generic record; for an unweighed plate, keep the result as an estimate.

Daily Value is context, not a prescription

The adult food-label Daily Value used here is 2,300 mg. Percentages are calculated only to make a source serving easier to interpret. They are not personalized requirements and should not be applied as treatment targets.

For the labeling framework, see the FDA's Daily Value guide. For corpus provenance and calculations, read Feast's nutrition-page methodology.

Common questions

Using this comparison responsibly

What does sodium per 100 grams mean?

It is the amount of sodium in 100 grams of the USDA reference food. Holding weight constant helps compare concentration, but it does not describe the amount in every person's serving.

Does a higher sodium rank mean a meal is better?

No. The rank describes one nutrient relative to food weight. It does not score the whole meal, account for individual needs, or replace the serving, ingredient, and preparation context.

Will my meal match the USDA value?

Not necessarily. Recipe, brand, cooking method, additions, and portion weight can all change the total. Use the linked profile as a reference and compare its exact description with your food.