Record sodium in milligrams and keep the number of servings beside it. Do not enter a salt weight as if it were sodium.
Keep the calculation visible
A log is easier to check when it retains the label amount and the portion multiplier. That way, you can find a transcription error without guessing what happened at the meal.
Use one unit consistently. “mg sodium” is clearer than a column called “salt,” which may refer to a different quantity.
Work through one portion
Here is an arithmetic example with invented label values, not a recommendation: a label lists 300 mg sodium per serving and you ate one and a half servings. The record is 300 × 1.5 = 450 mg sodium.
If the portion is uncertain, write “approximately 1.5 servings.” Extra decimal places do not make an estimate more accurate.
Label: 300 mg per serving. Portion: approximately 1.5 servings. Logged amount: approximately 450 mg sodium.
Handle restaurant food honestly
Use a published value when the restaurant provides one, and note the menu item and portion. Otherwise, label the entry as an estimate rather than presenting a database match as an exact measurement.
Leave unknown values unknown. A blank entry and a confirmed zero mean different things. You can still preserve the food and portion description for a later discussion.
Use your own care plan
Sodium goals can differ with individual needs. Do not copy a target from another condition’s page; for example, advice discussed for POTS may not apply to someone managing blood pressure. Ask your clinician what to record.
The free log and Sodium Tracker+ help organize amounts. They do not prescribe a sodium target.
Sources & checks
- FDA: understanding the Nutrition Facts label ↗
Label quantities are tied to serving size. Daily Values are general references, not personalized prescriptions.
- FDA: sodium in your diet ↗
Table salt and sodium are different quantities; label amounts depend on the portion eaten.
- Current App Store listing: Sodium Tracker+ ↗
Checks the companion app’s stated features and its limitations; not independent evidence of health benefits.
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-20. The worked examples and record layouts are original illustrations. They are not real patient records or evidence of treatment effectiveness. This is educational content, not individual medical advice or a clinician-reviewed treatment plan.
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