Before you snatch up that can of low-sodium beans, convinced it fits on your low-sodium diet, you need to know what the phrases really mean. Also, keep in mind the relatively small size of a "serving" as listed on most labels, since few of us really stick to those servings. If a 1/2-cup serving contains 150 milligrams of sodium, but your typical serving is closer to 2 cups, you're really getting 600 milligrams.
| Phrase |
What it Means |
| Sodium free or salt free |
Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving |
| Very low sodium |
35 mg or less per serving |
| Low sodium |
140 mg or less per serving |
| Low-sodium meal |
140 mg or less per 3.5 oz |
| Reduced or less sodium |
At least 25 percent less than the regular version |
| Light in sodium |
50 percent less than the regular version |
| Unsalted or no salt added |
No salt added to the product during processing |
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute