A low sodium diet is a diet that includes no more than 1,500 to 2,400 mg of sodium per day.[1]
The human minimum requirement for sodium in the diet is about 500 mg per day,[2] which is typically less than one-sixth as much as many diets "seasoned to taste". For certain people with salt-sensitive blood pressure or diseases such as Ménière's disease, this extra intake may cause a negative effect on health.
WHO guidelines[3][4] state that adults should consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium/day (i.e. about 5 grams of traditional table salt), and at least 3,510 mg of potassium per day.[5] In Europe, adults and children consume about twice as much sodium as recommended by experts.[6]