How Much Sodium is in Impossible Products?

Sodium: we’ve all heard about it, and we know we can get it from salt. But what are these things exactly? Let’s start with the basics!

What is Sodium (and What is Salt)?

Sodium is a mineral and the seventh most abundant element on Earth (ref). For humans, sodium is an essential nutrient –meaning, it is required for proper body functioning but the body cannot produce it on its own. That’s why it’s an important component of any balanced diet.

In the body, sodium functions as an electrolyte. Along with other electrolytes such as chloride and potassium, sodium plays a crucial role in various bodily functions, including maintaining proper fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve transmission, and more (ref). Experts say the average person needs to consume about 500 mg of sodium daily to support these vital functions (ref). Endurance athletes may require even more sodium and other electrolytes in order to replenish those lost via sweat (ref).

Sodium chloride (NaCl), better known as salt, is the principal source of sodium in the human diet. Salt is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride (ref), and a teaspoon of iodized table salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium (ref). Salt is commonly used in foods for a multitude of purposes such as preserving, flavoring, binding, stabilizing, and more (ref). Its role in flavoring foods is one of the reasons why salty foods are so tasty! Most of the salt in the western diet comes from commercially prepared foods. In fact, the top 10 sources of sodium in the American diet are: breads and rolls; pizza; sandwiches; cold cuts/cured meats; soups; burritos and tacos; savory snacks; chicken; cheese; and eggs and omelets (ref).

Sodium and Health While sodium is an essential mineral that supports proper human body functioning, it is also possible to have “too much” sodium. As with most things we eat, moderation is key! The 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends sodium intake of “less than 2,300 milligrams per day—and even less for children younger than age 14” (ref). The Daily Value (DV) for sodium established by the FDA is also set at 2,300 mg per day (ref) – this is what the % DV on every food’s nutrition label is in reference to. According to the FDA, foods with less than 140 mg sodium per Reference Amount Customarily Consumed (RACC) can be considered “low sodium” (ref), and those with ≥20%DV (≥460mg) per serving are considered “high sodium” (ref).

How Much Sodium Is In Impossible Products? At Impossible Foods, we aim to create plant-based meat that is nutritionally equivalent to or, wherever possible, improved upon the animal product it is meant to replace. Specifically, we strive to decrease amounts of nutrients that should be limited –– like saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium –– and increase amounts of other nutrients where beneficial, such as protein and fiber.

Some of our products, like our plant-based ground beef and ground pork, have sodium contents higher than those of their raw, unseasoned animal meat counterparts (as shown in the below chart). However, this comparison isn’t set on a level playing field because ground animal meat products are rarely eaten unseasoned. For example: one article touting the secrets to the best burger suggests 1/4 tsp salt (573 mg sodium) is the optimal amount to season a 4-ounce patty (ref). By contrast, our meat from plants does not require additional salt during culinary preparations. It’s also worth noting that neither Impossible Beef nor Impossible Pork by itself is considered a high sodium food by the FDA’s definition (≥20% DV sodium per serving).

Table 1

When it comes to our breaded and seasoned products, such as our plant-based sausage, chicken nuggets and meatballs, the sodium contents are similar to those of the animal meat counterparts.

Table 2

In all cases, it is important to consider the overall sodium content of the final meal, as well as throughout the day, rather than only considering the sodium content of a single food.

Our Ongoing Commitment to Health and Nutrition

We strive to minimize the amount of sodium in everything we make, while still maintaining the taste and quality that makes our food so craveable. We’ll continue to work on ways to lower sodium in our products in balance with retaining the high-quality protein, fiber and essential micronutrients that make our food the nutrient-dense plant-based meat alternatives consumers are looking for.