Last updated October 13, 2026 · Report an error
This calculator converts between grams of table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) and milligrams of sodium (Na) using the molar mass ratio: sodium's atomic mass (22.99) divided by sodium chloride's molecular mass (58.44) is about 39.3%, so 1g of salt contains about 393mg of sodium. This is pure chemistry/unit conversion, not a medical recommendation — consult a doctor for guidance on sodium intake for a specific health condition.
How it works
Choose a conversion direction (salt to sodium, or sodium to salt) and enter a value. The tool applies the 39.3% molar mass ratio in the chosen direction.
- Enter conversion.
- Enter value.
- Click Calculate to see your results.
Examples
1g of table salt
1g salt x 0.393 x 1000 = 393mg of sodium.
Who should use it
- Converting a recipe's salt amount to a sodium figure for nutrition tracking.
- Understanding a nutrition label's sodium content in terms of table salt.
Industry applications
- Nutrition labeling and food science
- Recipe development and dietary tracking
Advantages
- Simple, exact chemistry-based conversion.
- Works in both directions (salt to sodium and sodium to salt).
Limitations
- Assumes pure table salt (NaCl) — some salt products contain additives or other minerals that slightly change the ratio.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing "salt" and "sodium" as if they were the same amount — salt weighs about 2.5x as much as the sodium it contains.
- Misreading a nutrition label's sodium figure as if it were the total salt content.
Best practices
- When a recipe lists salt in grams/teaspoons but you need sodium (or vice versa) for a nutrition calculation, use this precise molar-ratio conversion rather than rough rounding.
Tips
- One level teaspoon of table salt is about 6g, which works out to roughly 2,300mg of sodium.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with no signup and no limit on how many calculations you run.
Table salt (NaCl) is a compound of sodium and chlorine. Sodium's share of the total molecular weight is 22.99 / 58.44 ≈ 39.3% — the remainder is chlorine.
Sodium is the component with the direct physiological effect that most dietary guidelines target, so most nutrition labels report sodium content directly rather than total salt.