Packaged and restaurant foods can have surprisingly high sodium levels, some examples

Examples of sodium levels in some foods

Sodium levels can be high in packaged foods, and even higher in some restaurant meals. Government guidelines set 2,300 milligrams of sodium as the maximum daily intake, but the Institute of Medicine says people need just 1,500 mg a day, even less if they’re over age 50. Many companies have introduced “low sodium” brands in response to increased concern about salt.

Some typical sodium levels collected from reports on company Web sites.

— Red Lobster Admiral’s Feast (fried seafood): 4,400 mg

— Olive Garden Chicken Parmigiana: 3,380 mg

— Denny’s Moons Over My Hammy (scrambled egg sandwich with ham and cheese, hash browns): 2,580 mg

— McDonald’s Double Quarter Pounder with cheese, ketchup, mustard and pickles: 1,380 mg

— McDonald’s Happy Meal with Cheeseburger: 1,040 mg

— Oscar Meyer Lunchables bologna and American cheese cracker stackers, including Chips Ahoy cookies: 890 mg

— Campbell’s condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup: 870 mg per serving

— Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Family size: 580 mg per serving

— Oscar Meyer Center Cut Bacon: 270 mg per serving

— Nabisco Wheat Thins, original: 230 mg per serving

Source: Company Web sites.