Where sodium values come from
Sodium Smart combines a reviewed everyday-food library with public food-data sources and user-entered product labels. Each source has a different strength, so the app should show the source and serving basis rather than presenting every number as equally exact.
USDA FoodData Central
USDA FoodData Central provides food composition data through an API, including generic foods and branded foods. Sodium Smart plans to use a server-side integration so the API key is not exposed in the mobile app, and so results can be cached, normalized, and labeled.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Open Food Facts and barcode lookup
Barcode lookup can help identify packaged foods. A result may be incomplete, outdated, or based on a different package or country. Sodium Smart should offer a review step and encourage users to compare the result with the current package label.
Reference library and custom foods
The built-in reference library is designed for quick everyday logging. Users can also create custom foods when a product or recipe is missing. Custom values are user-provided and should be treated as estimates unless checked against a label or recipe calculation.
Why serving size matters
Sodium may be listed per serving, per 100 grams, per package, or in another basis. Sodium Smart should show the selected serving, preserve the original source value, and avoid silently changing historical logs when a source record is updated.
Reference value reminder
Food values can vary by brand, recipe, package, preparation method, and serving size. Always use the current product label for packaged foods and ask a qualified healthcare professional for advice about a personal sodium target.