Low Sodium Cheese Sauce: Cheese Sodium From USDA Data and Store Labels

A low sodium cheese sauce starts with the cheese, because the cheese is the ingredient whose sodium varies most. In USDA FoodData Central reference data, per 100 grams, regular cheeses range from 110 mg of sodium for whole-milk ricotta and 187 mg for Swiss to 1,671 mg for pasteurized process American and 1,804 mg for grated Parmesan, while whole milk, all-purpose flour and butter without salt each list under 50 mg. [1] In USDA label data for 301 store-bought cheese sauces and quesos sold in the United States, the typical value is about 800 mg per 100 grams or milliliters, and every one lists salt. [1] On a package, “low sodium” means 140 mg of sodium or less per serving [2]; for a cheese sauce used as a topping, the federal reference amount is a quarter cup. [3] [4]

This page is general education, not individual nutrition advice. If you have kidney disease, take certain medications, or follow a medically prescribed diet, ask your health care provider before using salt substitutes or lower-sodium products made with potassium chloride. [5] NIDDK also advises people with chronic kidney disease to choose foods with less phosphorus and to check ingredient lists for added phosphates. [6] Cheese sauce is made with cheese, a milk product, and a sauce thickened with wheat flour contains wheat; milk and wheat are major food allergens. [7]

Compare cheese sauce ingredients by sodium

Sodium in cheeses and other cheese sauce ingredients

The table lists USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries, per 100 grams, with how USDA arrived at each sodium value; saturated fat is rounded to one decimal. [1] Per 100 grams is a standard unit for comparing foods, not an amount anyone uses in a sauce. Saturated fat is shown alongside because cheese and butter are high in it; FDA lists the Daily Value for saturated fat as 20 g and for sodium as 2,300 mg. [9]

Limits of this comparison. SR Legacy is USDA’s historical dataset; its final update was in 2018, and these entries were published in April 2019. Its values are generic, not those of any product you can buy. The three low-sodium cheese entries report no data points, the mozzarella value comes from a label claim, and the prepared-from-recipe sauce entry does not list the recipe behind it. Among these entries, USDA reports data points for saturated fat only for the ready-to-serve cheese sauce. [1] FDA notes that sodium can vary significantly between similar foods, so the Nutrition Facts label on the package you buy is the figure to use. [2]

What the table shows. Among regular cheeses, whole-milk ricotta, Swiss and cream cheese list the least sodium per 100 grams, and process American and grated Parmesan the most. The USDA low-sodium cheese entries list 7 to 21 mg. Milk, flour, cornstarch and butter without salt list little sodium; salted butter lists 643 mg, close to cheddar’s 653 mg. Most cheeses list about 14 to 21 g of saturated fat per 100 grams, ricotta 6.4 g, and butter about 50 g. [1]

Why process cheese lists more sodium

The federal standard for pasteurized process cheese allows emulsifying agents, including sodium phosphates, sodium citrate, potassium citrate and calcium citrate, at no more than 3 percent of the cheese’s weight. [10] The standard for pasteurized process cheese spread lists the same agents. [11] FDA notes that some common additives that contain sodium, such as sodium bicarbonate and sodium benzoate, contribute to the sodium listed on the Nutrition Facts label alongside salt. [2] In USDA’s reference entries, process American cheese lists 1,671 mg of sodium per 100 grams and cheddar 653 mg. [1]

What store cheese sauces and quesos list

USDA’s Branded Foods label data converts the sodium on each product’s Nutrition Facts label to a value per 100 grams or per 100 milliliters, depending on what the manufacturer supplied. [8] Grouped by product name, with one record per product barcode, it holds 124 cheese sauces, including nacho cheese sauces, and 177 queso dips and sauces. The median is the middle label in each group, and the middle half is the range covered by the central 50% of labels; both are rounded to the nearest 100 mg. [1]

• Sodium. Cheese sauces: median about 800 mg per 100 grams or milliliters, middle half 700 to 800 mg. Quesos: median about 800 mg, middle half 700 to 900 mg. [1]
• Salt and other sodium salts. All 301 list salt. 118 of the 124 cheese sauces and 156 of the 177 quesos also list at least one sodium phosphate, sodium citrate or sodium tartrate. [1]
• Saturated fat. The median label value is about 3 g per 100 grams or milliliters in both groups. [1]
• Potassium chloride. 7 of the 124 cheese sauces and 3 of the 177 quesos list potassium chloride, a potassium salt. [1] See the potassium caution below.
• Serving size. 78 of the 124 cheese sauce labels state a quarter-cup serving, the FDA reference amount for cheese sauce used as a topping, and 156 of the 177 queso labels state two tablespoons, the reference amount for dips. [1] [4] Reference amounts are for labeling, not recommended amounts to eat.

Words on the front of a cheese package are relative. Among cheeses in the same label data whose names say low sodium, reduced sodium, less sodium or no salt added, cottage cheese aside, the 3 Swiss cheeses named no salt added list 18 to 36 mg per 100 grams, while the 7 American cheeses and cheese products named reduced or less sodium list 741 to 1,000 mg, more than USDA’s value for regular cheddar. [1] Most of these label records date from 2021 to 2023, the full set spans 2019 to 2025, and formulas change. Label rounding adds variability to the per-100 values, especially for foods with small servings. [8] The data does not cover every product on the market, so check the current label of the jar or package you buy.

What the label terms mean

FDA’s consumer summary of sodium terms on packages: [2]

• “Low sodium.” 140 mg of sodium or less per serving. The federal rule measures this per reference amount, and for foods with small reference amounts, 30 g or less or two tablespoons or less, also per 50 g. [3] Most cheeses have a reference amount of 30 g, and dips two tablespoons. [4]
• “Reduced sodium.” At least 25% less sodium than the regular product. The federal rule measures this per reference amount against an appropriate reference food. [3]
• “Light in sodium” or “lightly salted.” At least 50% less sodium than the regular product.
• “No-salt-added” or “unsalted.” No salt is added during processing, but these products may not be salt- or sodium-free unless stated.
• Daily Value. FDA lists the Daily Value for sodium as less than 2,300 mg per day, and as a general guide considers 5% DV or less of sodium per serving low and 20% DV or more high. [2]

Because “reduced sodium” is measured against the regular version of the same food, a reduced sodium cheese can still list more sodium than a regular cheese of another kind, as the American cheese labels above show. The %DV and serving size on each label are the numbers to compare. For practice with both, see the food label reading worksheet.

Kidney diets, potassium and phosphorus

Potassium is an ingredient in many salt substitutes. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says that people with kidney disease, or who take certain medications, could end up with potassium levels that are too high from these products, and advises talking with a health care provider before using them. [5] The same applies to a lower-sodium cheese or sauce whose ingredient list includes potassium chloride.

NIDDK notes that phosphorus is found naturally in protein-rich foods such as dairy products and is also added to many foods. For people with chronic kidney disease, it suggests checking ingredient lists for “phosphorus” or words with “PHOS,” such as disodium phosphate. [6] In the label data, 114 of the 124 cheese sauces and 145 of the 177 quesos list an ingredient with “phos” in its name. [1] A lower-sodium cheese sauce is not automatically suited to a kidney diet; use the eating plan from your health care team.

Allergens in cheese sauce

FDA recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. [7] Cheese sauces are made with cheese, so they contain milk unless a label says otherwise. In the label data, 11 of the 124 cheese sauces and 4 of the 177 quesos list wheat. [1] FDA’s first tip for people with food allergies is to always read food labels. [7]

Food safety for cheese sauce and leftovers

• If you are not serving a cooked sauce right away, keep it hot, at 140°F (60°C) or above. [12]
• Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours, in a refrigerator set to 40°F (4°C) or below. [12]
• Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checked with a food thermometer. [13]
• FoodSafety.gov’s Cold Food Storage Chart says its freezer times are for quality only and points to its FoodKeeper app for storage tips on specific foods. [14]

Where to go next

This guide covers sodium, saturated fat, label terms, allergens and food safety only. It does not assess calories, portion size or how a sauce fits an overall meal. If you follow a medically prescribed diet, including a kidney diet, use the plan from your health care team. For seasoning that does not rely on salt, see the guide to low salt chicken seasoning. More guides are listed under Heart-healthy recipes.

Common questions

Which cheese has the least sodium for a cheese sauce?

Among regular cheeses in USDA’s reference data, whole-milk ricotta lists 110 mg of sodium per 100 grams, Swiss 187 mg and cream cheese 314 mg, against 653 mg for cheddar. USDA’s low-sodium cheese entries list 7 to 21 mg, but those entries report no data points. [1] Products vary, so compare the Nutrition Facts labels of the cheeses in front of you. [2]

Does American cheese have more sodium than cheddar?

In USDA’s reference data, yes: pasteurized process American cheese lists 1,671 mg of sodium per 100 grams and cheddar 653 mg. [1] The process cheese standard allows emulsifying agents such as sodium phosphates and sodium citrate. [10]

How much sodium is in store-bought cheese sauce?

In USDA label data, the median is about 800 mg per 100 grams or milliliters for both cheese sauces and quesos, and USDA’s ready-to-serve cheese sauce entry lists 828 mg per 100 grams. [1] For a single product, the %DV on its label is the number to use; FDA considers 20% DV or more of sodium per serving high. [2]

What does “low sodium” mean on a cheese label?

140 mg of sodium or less per reference amount, which for most cheeses is 30 g; because that reference amount is small, the cheese must also meet 140 mg or less per 50 g. [3] [4] “No salt added” is a different claim and does not mean the food is sodium-free. [2]

How should leftover cheese sauce be handled?

Refrigerate it within 2 hours in a refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below [12], and reheat it to 165°F (74°C). [13] For storage times of specific foods, FoodSafety.gov points to its FoodKeeper app. [14]

Compare cheese sauce ingredients by sodium

Sources and limitations

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central. SR Legacy dataset, published April 2019; entries by FDC ID: 168121, 168124 and 173440 (low-sodium cheeses), 170851 (ricotta), 171251 (Swiss), 173418 (cream cheese), 170845 (mozzarella), 170844 (Monterey), 173414 (cheddar), 171242 (Gruyere), 171241 (Gouda), 171290 (process American), 171247 (grated Parmesan), 168894 (all-purpose flour), 169698 (cornstarch), 173430 and 173410 (butter, without salt and salted), 171265 and 171267 (whole and 2% milk), 171276 (evaporated milk), 172200 (cheese sauce, prepared from recipe), 171191 (cheese sauce, ready-to-serve). Branded Foods dataset, April 2026 release: label data supplied by food brands, here 124 cheese sauces, 177 quesos and 15 cheeses named low sodium, reduced sodium, less sodium or no salt added, sold in the United States, grouped by product name, one record per product barcode. Search each FDC ID on the FoodData Central site. SR Legacy values are generic and its final update was in 2018; branded values are as reported by manufacturers and may not match current products.
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Sodium in Your Diet. Content current as of March 5, 2024. Daily Value, %DV guide, a consumer summary of package claims and notes on sodium-containing additives for the general public; not individual dietary advice.
3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 101.61, Nutrient content claims for the sodium content of foods. Current regulation text. Applies to package labels and labeling, not to home cooking.
4. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed per eating occasion. Current regulation text. Reference amounts are for labeling, not recommended amounts to eat.
5. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Potassium, Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 22, 2021. General overview; it does not list individual products or set limits for any person.
6. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Eating Right for Chronic Kidney Disease. Last reviewed January 2025. General guidance for people with chronic kidney disease; individual eating plans come from their health care team.
7. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Food Allergies: What You Need to Know. Content current as of August 16, 2024. Lists the major food allergens recognized in the United States; it does not assess individual products.
8. U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA Global Branded Food Products Database Documentation. April 2024. Explains the conversion of label values to a 100 g or 100 mL basis and the variability that label rounding introduces.
9. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. Content current as of March 5, 2024. Lists the Daily Values used on food labels; not individual intake targets.
10. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 133.169, Pasteurized process cheese. Current regulation text. Sets the standard of identity, including permitted emulsifying agents; it does not state sodium amounts.
11. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 133.179, Pasteurized process cheese spread. Current regulation text. Sets the standard of identity, including permitted emulsifying agents; it does not state sodium amounts.
12. FoodSafety.gov: 4 Steps to Food Safety. Last reviewed September 18, 2023. Home kitchen guidance on cleaning, separating, cooking and chilling.
13. FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures. Last reviewed November 21, 2024. Cooking and reheating temperatures; does not address flavor or texture.
14. FoodSafety.gov: Cold Food Storage Chart. Last reviewed September 19, 2023. Refrigerator and freezer storage times for listed foods; freezer times are for quality. Cheese sauce is not listed.