Sodium and Babies

Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral found in foods like eggs, milk (including breast milk and formula), meat, and vegetables.¹ It’s an essential nutrient our bodies need in small amounts to regulate fluids in our blood and to power our neurological system but too much is not healthy.

When combined with chloride, sodium make salt, a pervasive ingredient in processed foods and staple in every kitchen. But is sodium safe for babies and toddlers? Here’s what you need to know. 

When can babies have salt/sodium?

Babies can have salt in moderation. Sodium helps regulate water balance in cells and stimulate immune function, muscle contraction, nerve function, and more. 

That said, too much salt too soon is not healthy. Early and excessive exposure to sodium can prime your baby’s palate for salty foods, increase the risk of obesity, and put your child at greater risk of developing hypertension, which can lead to heart disease and stroke later in life.²

Is salt dangerous for babies?

It can be. Salt can be dangerous if consumed in excessive amounts.³ Most often, excessive salt or sodium in the diet is problematic from a long-term health perspective, though there have been cases of salt poisoning (both deliberate and unintentional) but this is extremely rare.⁴

The most likely risk associated with excessive salt or sodium consumption in infancy is that it may set the stage for sustained increased sodium consumption which can increase their risk of obesity and hypertension later on in life, which can ultimately lead to heart disease and stroke.⁵

How much sodium can a baby have each day?

It depends on your child’s age. For infants 6 months and younger, the recommended amount of sodium per day is 110 milligrams and, for babies 7 to 12 months of age, it increases to 370 milligrams.⁶ Keep in mind that breast milk and formula also contain sodium.

In the United States, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences issues nutrient recommendations called Dietary Reference Intakes or Adequate Intakes (AI). Due to insufficient data for babies, an AI for sodium has been established based on sodium levels in breast milk and the recommendations are below: Note: The milligrams of sodium listed here are not strict rules but rather guidelines.

• For infants 6 months and younger, the AI for sodium is 110 milligrams per day.⁷
• Babies between the ages of 7 and 12 months have an AI of 370 milligrams per day.^{8 9}
• Children between 1 and 3 years of age have an AI of 800 milligrams per day. 

Studies show that almost 80% of toddlers in the United States consume more than the maximum intake of 1,500 milligrams per day, with an average daily consumption of 2,000 milligrams in toddlers aged 1 to 3 years old.^{10 11}

For babies and young eaters, adding salt to food is unnecessary and has not been established as safe.¹² If your baby shows interest in a developmentally appropriate food that you’re eating that contains salt, before offering a portion consider how it was prepared. Is it a frozen, prepackaged, canned, or fast food/restaurant food item? If so, consider just a small portion, or better yet just skip! Is it something that was prepared at home in which a small amount of salt was used? If so, likely okay! However, it’s worth considering decreasing your own sodium intake if you regularly share food with your baby or toddler.

When can I add salt to my baby’s food?

Salt can be added to food in moderation after your baby’s first birthday. Whole, fresh foods contain less sodium than packaged and processed foods. If your baby is mostly consuming whole foods prepared at home, a pinch of salt to season a larger dish for the entire family should be fine. However, refrain from adding salt directly to your child’s food and aim to season meals with fresh herbs and spices instead. Read labels when using condiments to flavor foods as they often contain lots of sodium. 

When can babies have condiments like ketchup and soy sauce?

It depends on the condiment. Ketchup may be served in moderation once your baby is 12 months old, but it would be wise to consider brands with lower salt and sugar levels. On average, commercial ketchup contains about 150 milligrams of sodium per tablespoon.

Consider avoiding fish sauce and soy sauce because they contain a substantial amount of sodium — 1,000 milligrams or more per serving. If a homemade family dish calls for soy or fish sauce, consider replacements like coconut aminos if there is no coconut allergy. While still high in sodium, coconut aminos contain roughly half the sodium compared to soy sauce per tablespoon. 

Lastly, many condiments contain additives and preservatives that are inappropriate for babies and contain hidden allergens like anchovy, sesame, soy, and wheat. Read labels carefully and, when in doubt, skip the condiments. If time permits, consider homemade condiments to control amounts of salt and sugar and tailor to your family’s taste preferences.  

What foods are highest in sodium?

Sodium levels vary from food to food and product to product. Foods with the highest levels of sodium include the following:

Food	Sodium (mg)	Substitute
Fish Sauce	1,176 mg per 1 tbsp	Coconut aminos
Bouillon Cubes	1,100 mg per ½ cube	Low sodium chicken broth
Salami / Pepperoni	953 mg per 2oz	n/a
Soy Sauce	870 mg per 1 tbsp	Coconut aminos
Corned Beef, Pastrami	865 mg per 3oz	Fresh roast beef
Macaroni & Cheese	837 mg per 1 cup	Vegan mac + cheese w/ nutritional yeast
Canned Soup	834 mg per 1 cup	Low sodium canned soup
Pizza	712 mg per slice	Pizza with fresh mozzarella, no pepperoni
Cottage Cheese	647 mg per 1 cup	Rinse under water; low sodium brands
Tomato Juice	606 mg per 1 cup	Low sodium vegetable juice
Rice, Boxed	580 mg per 5oz	Homemade; reduce seasoning packet
Teriyaki Sauce	575 per 1 tbsp	Coconut aminos
Ramen Noodles	535 per 1 cup	Discard seasoning packet; cook in low sodium broth
“Low Sodium” Soy Sauce	533 per 1 tbsp	Coconut aminos
Cold Cuts	522 mg per 2oz	Grilled chicken, *fresh* turkey or roast beef
Pecorino Cheese	516 mg per 1oz	Swiss cheese, goat cheese
Hot Dogs & Veggie Dogs	498 mg per frankfurter	n/a
Sausage	488 mg per 2oz	Uncured fresh sausages
Chicken Nuggets	475 mg per 5 nuggets	Homemade or Earth’s Best brand
American Cheese	430 mg per 1oz	Fresh mozzarella, Swiss or goat cheese
Tortillas (flour)	412 mg per tortilla	Unsalted corn tortillas
Cotija Cheese	392 mg per 1oz	Goat cheese
Parmesan Cheese	390 mg per 1oz	Goat cheese crumbles
French Bread	385 mg per slice	Challah, Pullman bread
Smoked Fish (Gravlax)	380 mg per 2oz	Fresh fish or homemade gravlax
Halloumi Cheese	350 mg per 1oz	Fresh mozzarella, Swiss or goat cheese
Pretzels	347 mg per 1 small bag	No salt added pretzels
Feta Cheese	337 mg per 1oz	Goat cheese
Blue Cheese	321mg per 1oz	Goat cheese
Shrimp, Frozen	295 mg per 3oz	Fresh shrimp
Canned Beans (no liquid)	290 mg per 90 grams	Low sodium beans + rinse under water
Bacon	269 mg per 2 slices	n/a
Edam Cheese	255mg per 1oz	Swiss cheese
Fish Sticks	250 mg per 3 sticks	Homemade
Provolone	245 mg per 1oz	Swiss Cheese
White Bread	236 mg per 2 slices	Sprouted grain bread such as Ezekiel
Pickles	227 mg per spear	Fresh cucumber
Crackers	218 mg per ½ cup	Thin rice cakes, low sodium
Canned Fish	210 mg per 3oz	Low sodium canned fish; rinse under water
Marmite	203 mg per 1 tsp	Nutritional yeast with jam
Instant Pudding	201 mg per ½ cup	Overnight chia pudding
String Cheese	190 mg per 1oz	Fresh mozzarella, Swiss cheese
BBQ Sauce	164 mg per 1 tbsp	Low sodium BBQ sauce
Kimchi / Sauerkraut	149 mg per 30 grams	Rinse under water
Miso	149 mg per 1 tsp	Dilute with avocado oil or coconut oil
Potato Chips	148 mg per 1 small bag	Low sodium chips; homemade in air fryer
Chickpea Puffs	140 mg per 1oz	Thin rice cakes, low sodium
Ketchup	136 mg per 1 tbsp	Tomato paste; low sodium ketchup
Cream Cheese	89 mg per 1oz	Mascarpone or ricotta cheese

Bottom line on salt for babies & toddlers

Sodium is an essential nutrient our bodies need but too much is not healthy.

Early and excessive exposure to sodium can prime your baby’s palate for salty foods, increase the risk of obesity, and put your child at greater risk of developing hypertension later on in life, which can ultimately lead to heart disease and stroke.¹³

Salt can be added to food in moderation after your baby’s first birthday, though studies show that the vast majority of toddlers are consuming too much sodium.

When shopping for foods for your baby and family, prioritize whole, fresh foods, which contain less sodium than packaged and processed foods and read labels closely when using condiments to flavor foods. 

Remember: What you feed your child today lays the foundation for taste preferences for tomorrow. 

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Reviewed by: 

Jamie Truppi, MSN, CNS

Leticia Jones, MS, RD, CDN

Rachel Ruiz, MD Board-Certified General Pediatrician and Pediatric Gastroenterologist

 

1. Gropper, S., Smith, J. (2013). Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, 6th ed. Independence, KS: Wadsworth Publishing, Cengage Learning.
2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
3. Strazzullo P, Campanozzi A, Avallone S. Does salt intake in the first two years of life affect the development of cardiovascular disorders in adulthood?. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2012;22(10):787–792. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2012.04.003
4. Soloway, R.A. (2013). Sodium: Too Much of a Good Thing. National Capital Poison Center.
5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
6. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium; Oria M, Harrison M, Stallings VA, editors. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2019 Mar 5. Sodium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy. Retrieved September 25, 2020
7. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium; Oria M, Harrison M, Stallings VA, editors. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2019 Mar 5. Sodium: Dietary Reference Intakes for Adequacy. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
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9. Strohm, D., Bechthold, A., Ellinger, S., Leschik-Bonnet, E., Stehle, P., Heseker, H., & German Nutrition Society (DGE) (2018). Revised Reference Values for the Intake of Sodium and Chloride. Annals of nutrition & metabolism, 72(1), 12–17.
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11. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2018. Nutrient Intakes from Food and Beverages: Mean Amounts Consumed per Individual, by Gender and Age, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016.
12. Strazzullo P, Campanozzi A, Avallone S. Does salt intake in the first two years of life affect the development of cardiovascular disorders in adulthood?. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2012;22(10):787–792. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2012.04.003
13. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.