Sodium Calculator

On average, Canadians consume 3,400 mg of salt every day, which is more than two times the recommended amount. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and is a major factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. High sodium intake has also been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, stomach cancer and severe asthma.

The salt calculator allows Ontarians to track how much salt they are eating and identify the main sources of sodium in their diet. The calculator, among the first of its kind in North America, was developed by analyzing the sodium levels of more than 20,000 grocery and restaurant foods and is based on Canadian eating patterns and the most up-to-date data on sodium levels.

The calculator asks questions such as:

• How often do you eat out?
• Where do you eat out (fast food, table service, or fine-dining restaurants)?
• How often and how much do you eat per day, week, or month?
• What types of food do you eat (bread, pre-packaged food, cheese, etc.)?

Dr. JoAnne Arcand, a nutritional scientist at Ontario Tech University created the sodium calculator with other collaborators on Project Big Life.