Foods high in Sodium

People often blame salt for sodium problems, but sodium itself regulates fluid balance and nerve signalling. Your body needs it; the trouble starts when intake climbs too high, which narrows blood vessels and raises pressure. This ranking shows where sodium sits in unprocessed foods, not processed ones: the real source of excess in most diets.

Sodium concentrates in cured meats, cheese, and anything preserved with salt. The table ranks foods by their density per 100 g, so a small serving of a high-sodium food can still deliver a large amount. Remember that most people encounter sodium in products, not in the ingredients themselves.