Lowest sodium meat
12 foods and 1,018 packages in the meat aisle. 13 of the packages are at a federal low sodium level, the most of them in canned fish (9). 9 foods have none. The table gives the figure each food starts at; the three lowest packages of each food follow it.
The meat aisle at a glance
| Food | Compared on | Starts at | Most have | Low sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchovies | in 15 g | from 540mg | most have 720 to 980 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Bacon | in 15 g | from 115mg | most have 150 to 360 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Canned fish | in 85 g | from 30mg | most have 150 to 380 mg a serving | 9 low sodium |
| Canned meat | in 55 g | from 98mg | most have 190 to 790 mg a serving | 3 low sodium |
| Chicken nuggets | in 85 g | from 243mg | most have 340 to 490 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Deli meat | in 55 g | from 29mg | most have 280 to 620 mg a serving | 1 low sodium |
| Ham | in 55 g | from 305mg | most have 310 to 660 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Hot dogs | in 55 g | from 369mg | most have 400 to 770 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Jerky | in 30 g | from 90mg | most have 270 to 900 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Meatballs | in 85 g | from 300mg | most have 400 to 650 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Sausage | in 55 g | from 241mg | most have 400 to 840 mg a serving | none low sodium |
| Veggie burgers | in 85 g | from 215mg | most have 220 to 490 mg a serving | none low sodium |
Anchovies
The three lowest of 39, compared on 15 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 15 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Agostino Recca Conserve Alimentari Srl Salted Anchovies Older package | per 60 g | 2,160mg | 94% DV | Per 15 g 540 mg | |
| 2Cerulean Seas Anchovies Flat Fillets Older package | per 15 g | 700mg | 30% DV | Per 15 g 700 mg | |
| 3Haddon House Flat Fillets of Anchovies Older package | per 15 g | 700mg | 30% DV | Per 15 g 700 mg |
Bacon
The three lowest of 72, compared on 15 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 15 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Shoprite Hardwood-smoked Lower Sodium Sliced BaconName says “lower sodium” | per 17 g | 130mg | 6% DV | Per 15 g 115 mg | |
| 2Hy-Vee Maple Flavored Hardwood Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon | per 15 g | 130mg | 6% DV | Per 15 g 130 mg | |
| 3Aldi Turkey Bacon | per 1 serving (15 g) | 140mg | 6% DV | Per 15 g 140 mg |
Canned fish
The three lowest of 187, compared on 85 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 85 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wild Planet No Salt Added Skipjack Wild TunaName says “no salt added” | per 85 g | 30mg | 1% DV | Per 85 g 30 mg | Very low sodium |
| 2Safe Catch No Salt Added Wild Albacore TunaName says “no salt added” | per 56 g | 20mg | 1% DV | Per 85 g 31 mg | Very low sodium |
| 3Wild Planet No Salt Added Wild Sardines in WaterName says “no salt added” | per 85 g | 70mg | 3% DV | Per 85 g 70 mg | Low sodium |
Canned meat
The three lowest of 40, compared on 55 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 55 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Keystone All Natural Chicken | per 2 oz (56 g) | 100mg | 4% DV | Per 55 g 98 mg | Low sodium |
| 2Keystone Beef | per 56 g | 120mg | 5% DV | Per 55 g 118 mg | Low sodium |
| 3Great Value Less Sodium Chunk Breast with Rib Meat in Water, Less Sodium Chunk in Water At WalmartName says “less sodium” | per 84 g | 210mg | 9% DV | Per 55 g 138 mg | Low sodium |
Chicken nuggets
The three lowest of 39, compared on 85 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 85 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Earth's Best Chicken Nuggets Breaded & Fully Cooked Chicken Patties | per 56 g | 160mg | 7% DV | Per 85 g 243 mg | |
| 2Bell & Evans Breaded Chicken Breast Nuggets | per 1 serving (113 g) | 364mg | 16% DV | Per 85 g 273 mg | |
| 3Yummy Dino Buddies Chicken Breast Alphabet-shaped Nuggets | per 4 pieces (93 g) | 340mg | 15% DV | Per 85 g 311 mg |
Deli meat
The three lowest of 156, compared on 55 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 55 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Diestel Turkey Breast | per 57 g | 30mg | 1% DV | Per 55 g 29 mg | Very low sodium |
| 2Applegate Oven Roasted Turkey Breast | per 2 slices (55 g) | 250mg | 11% DV | Per 55 g 250 mg | |
| 3Applegate Oven Roasted Turkey Breast | per 2 slices (55 g) | 250mg | 11% DV | Per 55 g 250 mg |
Ham
The three lowest of 55, compared on 55 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 55 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wegmans Honey Uncured Ham | per 56 g | 310mg | 13% DV | Per 55 g 305 mg | |
| 2duBreton Cooked Ham | per 2 slice (55 g) | 310mg | 13% DV | Per 55 g 310 mg | |
| 3Hillshire Farm Honey Lower Sodium HamName says “lower sodium” | per 2 oz (56 g) | 360mg | 16% DV | Per 55 g 354 mg |
Hot dogs
The three lowest of 89, compared on 55 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 55 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bars Hotdog | per 76 g | 510mg | 22% DV | Per 55 g 369 mg | |
| 2Wellshire Uncured Beef Premium Franks | per 1 frank (56 g) | 390mg | 17% DV | Per 55 g 383 mg | |
| 3365 Whole Foods Market Uncured Beef Organic Grass-fed Hot Dogs | per 57 g | 400mg | 17% DV | Per 55 g 386 mg |
Jerky
The three lowest of 175, compared on 30 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 30 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Jerky's Gourmet Habanero Sculpin Craft Beer Beef Jerky | per 1 serving (28 g) | 85mg | 4% DV | Per 30 g 90 mg | |
| 2Jack Link's Teriyaki,beef Jerky | per 24 g | 170mg | 7% DV | Per 30 g 212 mg | |
| 3Vigil's Beef Jerky, Lemon Pepper | per 1 oz (28 g) | 210mg | 9% DV | Per 30 g 225 mg |
Meatballs
The three lowest of 47, compared on 85 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 85 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mama Mancini's Italian Style Sause & Jumbo Beef Meatballs | per 1 serving (170 g) | 600mg | 26% DV | Per 85 g 300 mg | |
| 2Simek's Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs | per 85 g | 330mg | 14% DV | Per 85 g 330 mg | |
| 3Cooked Perfect Organic Turkey Meatballs | per 85 g | 370mg | 16% DV | Per 85 g 370 mg |
Sausage
The three lowest of 143, compared on 55 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 55 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Jimmy Dean Reduced Fat Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Patties, 1.25 Oz | per 100 g | 438mg | 19% DV | Per 55 g 241 mg | |
| 2Tyson Fully Cooked Chicken Sausage Patties, 1.43 oz. | per 100 g | 440mg | 19% DV | Per 55 g 242 mg | |
| 3Carmela Chicken Vienna Sausage in Chicken Broth | per 65 g | 296mg | 13% DV | Per 55 g 250 mg |
Veggie burgers
The three lowest of 31, compared on 85 g.
| Product | Serving | Sodium | % Daily Value | In 85 g | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Sunshine Burgers Black Bean South West Organic Veggie Burgers | per 75 g | 190mg | 8% DV | Per 85 g 215 mg | |
| 2Actual Veggies Black Bean Veggie Burger | per 85 g | 240mg | 10% DV | Per 85 g 240 mg | |
| 3Actual Veggies Super Greens Veggie Burger | per 85 g | 240mg | 10% DV | Per 85 g 240 mg |
Questions about low sodium in the meat aisle
What counts as low sodium in the meat aisle?
A package with 140 mg or less of sodium in the amount federal labeling rules compare its food on; the table above names that amount for each food. “Very low sodium” is 35 mg or less and “sodium free” is under 5 mg. The rules test a food with a small serving on 50 g: 140 mg or less in 50 g, which is 42 mg or less in 15 g for anchovies and bacon and 84 mg or less in 30 g for jerky.
Which foods in the meat aisle have the most low sodium packages?
Canned fish: 9 of 187 packages are at a federal low sodium level. Then canned meat (3 of 40) and deli meat (1 of 156).
Which foods in the meat aisle have no low sodium package?
9 of the 12: anchovies, bacon, chicken nuggets, ham, hot dogs, jerky, meatballs, sausage and veggie burgers. The table above has the figure each of them starts at.