Quick Answer
The best natural sources of sodium are unrefined salts like sea salt and Celtic salt, plus foods that contain sodium naturally: celery, beets, chard, spinach, carrots, seaweed, shellfish, eggs, dairy, olives and fermented vegetables. Iodized salt is one of the easiest ways to get iodine, and specialty salts usually aren't iodized. Most people get more than enough sodium, mostly from packaged and restaurant foods, and too little potassium. If you sweat heavily every day, from intense training or regular sauna use, you need more sodium to replace what you lose.
A Nutritionist's Take
"When it comes to salt, I like iodized salt for its iodine and sea salt for its trace minerals, and Celtic salt is awesome. I try to avoid conventional refined table salt. I also think a lot of hydration and energy products push sodium really hard. There's definitely a place for it. If you're an endurance athlete, or you sweat every day, say you train daily and use a sauna, replenishing sodium is so important. But if you're working in a cool office and just trying to stay hydrated, I've found most people are already getting enough sodium. What's usually missing is potassium."
— Jordan Dorn, Certified Nutritionist
Sodium is an essential mineral. Your body needs it to balance fluids, send nerve signals and contract muscles. The question for most people isn't whether they're getting enough. It's where their sodium comes from and whether it's balanced with potassium. Here are the best natural sources of sodium, who actually needs more, and how to think about electrolytes.
In this article 8 sections
What Sodium Does
Sodium is the main electrolyte in the fluid outside your cells. Potassium is the main electrolyte inside them. Together, they help control how water moves in and out of cells, and they're essential for nerve signaling and muscle contraction. Table salt is sodium chloride, which is about 40% sodium by weight.
How Much Sodium Do You Need?
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults keep sodium under 2,300 mg a day, about one teaspoon of salt. Most Americans eat more than that, and most of it comes from packaged and restaurant foods, not the salt shaker.
Potassium is the other side of the equation. Recommended amounts are 3,400 mg a day for men and 2,600 mg for women, and many people in the U.S. fall short [1].
Choosing Your Salt
Sea salt and Celtic salt: These are less refined, so they keep small amounts of trace minerals. They're still mostly sodium chloride, so use them the same way you'd use any salt.
Iodized salt: It's one of the simplest ways to get iodine. Specialty salts like sea salt, kosher salt and Himalayan salt usually aren't iodized, and the salt in processed foods almost never is [2]. If you only use specialty salts, get iodine from seafood, seaweed, dairy or eggs, or check the label for added iodine.
Conventional refined table salt: It's highly processed and may contain anti-caking agents. That's why many people prefer less refined salts for everyday cooking.
Natural Food Sources of Sodium
Some whole foods naturally contain more sodium than others:
Vegetables: celery, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, carrots and artichokes
Sea vegetables: seaweeds like kelp, nori and dulse, which also provide iodine
Seafood: shellfish such as clams, mussels and shrimp
Animal foods: eggs, milk, yogurt and cheese
Fermented and brined foods: olives, sauerkraut and kimchi, which are high in added salt, so enjoy them in moderation
Bone broth: sodium varies a lot, depending on how much salt is added
Most fruits contain very little sodium, so they're better thought of as potassium sources.
Who Needs More Sodium?
Sweat contains a meaningful amount of sodium, and the amount varies widely from person to person. In one study of professional football players, hourly sweat sodium losses ranged from about 0.6 to 6.7 grams [3]. If you train hard every day, sweat heavily, work outdoors in the heat or use a sauna regularly, replacing sodium along with fluids matters. Salting your food, eating sodium-rich whole foods or using an electrolyte drink around long or hot sessions can all help.
If you're mostly sedentary in a cool environment, a high-sodium electrolyte product usually isn't necessary. Water and a whole-food diet rich in potassium will serve you better.
Don't Forget Potassium
Good potassium sources include potatoes, acorn squash, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, bananas, dried apricots and prunes, lentils, kidney beans, nuts, yogurt and fish [1]. See our guide to the best sources of potassium.
People with kidney disease, and people taking certain blood pressure medications or potassium-sparing diuretics, should talk with their provider before using potassium supplements or salt substitutes [1].
Minerals Beyond Sodium
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The Bottom Line
For most people, the goal isn't more sodium. It's better sodium and more potassium. Choose less refined salts like sea salt or Celtic salt, use iodized salt or other iodine sources, cut back on packaged and restaurant foods, and eat plenty of potassium-rich whole foods. If you sweat heavily every day, replace sodium along with fluids. If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure, follow your provider's guidance on sodium.
References
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Potassium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. ods.od.nih.gov
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Iodine: Fact Sheet for Consumers. ods.od.nih.gov
Godek SF, et al. Sweat rates, sweat sodium concentrations, and sodium losses in 3 groups of professional football players. J Athl Train. 2010;45(4):364–371. PMC2902030
