FDA Initiative to Reduce Sodium in the U.S. Food Supply

Salt. It makes food taste good and is also used as a preservative. And while there’s nothing like a salty, crunchy chip and dip for your tailgate or the occasional fast food burger, most of us are getting too much salt in our diets on a regular basis. Because of this, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is working to reduce the amount of salt in the American food supply.

The FDA’s draft of their voluntary initiative to reduce the amount of sodium—which is a major component of salt—in the U.S. food supply, updated on August 15, 2024, outlines the goals for manufacturers of processed, packaged and prepared foods, including restaurants.

According to the FDA, 90% of Americans are eating more sodium than is recommended, which is no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. Currently, the average intake is 3,400 mg per day, and most of it—over 70%—is coming from processed, packaged and prepared foods, not from the salt shaker at home.

Why is sodium being targeted? Sodium is linked to high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in both men and women. Yet, many risk factors for heart disease are controllable—including how much sodium you ingest. 

Here’s the thing, though. Sodium is also a necessary mineral that acts as an electrolyte, so we do need a small amount of it. But too much of it is unnecessary and can have unwanted consequences, including water retention and high blood pressure.  

Regarding the FDA’s initiative, they are essentially asking food manufacturers and restaurants to begin to reformulate their recipes to include less sodium. The FDA is asking them to do so gradually over the next three years, to allow consumers to adjust to lower levels of sodium and allow manufacturers time to adjust their recipes. According to the FDA, people usually don’t notice a small reduction in sodium. So consumers’ taste buds will more easily adjust if the reductions happen in small increments over time.

The current initiative is Phase II of a larger initiative that began with Phase I, issued in October 2021. Phase II contains 3-year sodium reduction targets for 163 food categories. If goals are met, Phase I and II targets will result in about a 20% reduction in sodium intake in the American food supply. This will reduce the average American’s sodium intake to about 2,750 mg per day—still higher than the recommended amount, but a big improvement that could result in large public health benefits.

While Phase I started in 2021, the big-picture initiative began in 2018 when the FDA required manufacturers to start including specific nutrition information on their labels, including sodium content and the clear naming of it in the ingredients list. They also outlined what products must contain and not contain to be able to put “healthy” on their labels—for example, limiting sodium, added sugar and saturated fat. 

What You Can Do Now to Reduce Your Sodium Intake

You don’t have to wait for companies to change their formulations or restaurants to update their recipes to reduce your own sodium intake. You can make choices that include lower sodium options right now. For example, if you like canned soups, vegetables and beans, choose reduced- or no-sodium options—and rinse canned vegetables and beans under running water before eating them or adding them to recipes. You can make canned soups go further by adding fresh veggies to them. By increasing the volume of the soup this way, you get less sodium in the same serving size—and increase your vegetable intake. 

Become a label-reader if you’re not already. Sodium is sneaky and can be found in foods that might surprise you—like yogurt, salad dressing and bread. 

If you tend to grab packaged energy bars, drinks or chips for snacks, consider swapping in some whole foods. A handful of no-salt-added nuts and a piece of fruit or reduced salt nut butter with carrots and celery will go a long way toward getting you through to your next meal—without unnecessary added salt and other ingredients like added sugar. Or try making your own energy balls and smoothies so you know exactly what’s going into them.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who, according to the FDA, eat about one-third of their food calories outside the home, consider eating at home more often. You’ll be able to better control how much sodium is in your food—and might save a buck or two. We have lots of meal plans and recipes that are lower in sodium to help get you started. 

If time is an issue concerning meal prep and cooking, we’ve got solutions for that, too. Try one of our lower-sodium dinner recipes that come together in just 30 minutes tonight. Convenience foods can save time in the kitchen but also need to be monitored for sodium content. For example, rotisserie chicken is a big timesaver but can be high in sodium since it’s usually brined or injected with a saline solution. If you regularly eat rotisserie chicken, consider alternating it with our Best Poached Chicken, which is perfect for recipes that require shredded chicken and is super easy and quick to make. 

Getting creative with herbs and spices can help your taste buds more quickly adjust to less salt in recipes, too. And they come with health benefits when used regularly, including adding antioxidants to your dishes.

The Bottom Line

The FDA released the draft of Phase II of an initiative to reduce the amount of sodium in the U.S. food supply. The initiative is voluntary, meaning that companies are not being forced to comply. The overarching goal of Phases I and II of the initiative is to reduce the amount of sodium Americans are consuming by 20% and will be done gradually over the next three years. 

There are things you can do now to start reducing your sodium intake, including eating less highly processed, packaged and restaurant foods, reading labels, choosing lower sodium options and cooking at home. If this feels overwhelming, choose one of these areas to start with and add more over time.