Potassium-to-Sodium Ratio Calculator
Written by Thierno Sadou Diallo, formula verified per our methodology • Last checked on 9/10/2026
The potassium-to-sodium ratio is calculated with potassium (mg) ÷ sodium (mg). For the WHO-recommended thresholds (at least 3510 mg of potassium, less than 2000 mg of sodium), the ratio reaches about 1.76.
Explanation
Potassium and sodium interact directly in blood pressure regulation: excess sodium combined with a potassium deficit promotes hypertension, while sufficient potassium intake helps offset sodium's effects on blood pressure. Our potassium intake calculator and our sodium intake calculator each compare a single mineral to its own WHO-recommended threshold, but don't tell you about the balance between the two: this calculator fills that gap by directly computing the diet's potassium-to-sodium ratio. The World Health Organization recommends a potassium-to-sodium ratio of at least 1, a target that follows directly from its two individual thresholds (at least 3510 mg of potassium per day, less than 2000 mg of sodium per day), giving a target ratio of about 1.75 when both thresholds are met simultaneously. In practice, the typical Western diet shows a ratio structurally below 1 (the WHO cites a current ratio twice as low or lower than the recommended target), with sodium from processed foods largely dominating the potassium naturally present in fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Improving this ratio generally requires both levers at once: cutting back on foods high in added sodium (ready meals, deli meats, salty snacks) and increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, naturally rich in potassium.
Example: WHO thresholds, 3510 mg potassium, 2000 mg sodium
Inputs
Potassium consumed: 3510 mg. Sodium consumed: 2000 mg.
Calculation
Ratio = 3510 ÷ 2000 = 1.755.
Result
This ratio of 1.76 exceeds the WHO target of at least 1, a favorable balance for blood pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the WHO recommend a ratio rather than two separate thresholds?
Because it's the relative balance between the two minerals, not just their absolute amounts, that influences blood pressure: an otherwise reasonable sodium intake can still be problematic if potassium intake is too low to offset it, and vice versa. The ratio condenses this interaction into a single, easy-to-track benchmark.
Why is the modern Western diet's ratio so often unfavorable?
Because ultra-processed foods, widely present in the typical Western diet, are generally high in added sodium (as a preservative and flavor enhancer) and relatively low in potassium, unlike whole foods such as fruits, dried legumes, and pulses, which naturally provide a lot of potassium for little sodium.
How can this ratio be improved in practice?
Two complementary levers: reducing sources of added sodium (ready meals, deli meats, aged cheeses, salty snacks) and simultaneously increasing consumption of foods naturally rich in potassium like bananas, legumes, leafy greens, and potatoes with the skin on, without necessarily aiming for a precise number at every meal.