Chloride
What it does and why you need it
Chloride does not get a separate everyday conversation because it travels with sodium in food. Where the UK pays attention to dietary salt (in food labelling, in NHS advice, in reformulation), chloride is implied. This entry is intentionally short.
Best food sources
Chloride is present alongside sodium in dietary salt, in processed foods, in bread, in dairy, in meat, in fish, and in vegetables in small amounts. Anyone eating any UK diet gets generous chloride.
For practical food sources of dietary salt and labelling guidance, see Salt and sodium.
UK reference intake by age and sex
UK Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) for chloride is set by SACN (1991).
| Group | Daily chloride (mg) |
|---|---|
| Babies, 0 to 12 months | 320 to 500 |
| Children, 1 to 14 years | 800 to 1,800 (rising with age) |
| Adolescents and adults, 15 years and over | 2,500 |
Deficiency signs and who is at risk
Chloride deficiency from diet is essentially unknown in healthy adults. Severe vomiting, prolonged diarrhoea, or some diuretic use can deplete chloride alongside other electrolytes; the situation is managed by treating the underlying cause.
Too much: safe upper limit
The relevant upper for UK shoppers is the salt target: no more than 6g of salt a day for adults. Chloride goes with sodium in this calculation; bringing one down brings the other down.
Supplements and UK guidance
Routine chloride supplementation is not recommended and is not relevant to general UK nutrition.
Related
- Editorial home: Salt and sodium.
- The sodium counterpart: Sodium.
- The potassium pair (for fluid balance): Potassium.
Sources and references
- SACN. Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom. Department of Health Report 41 (1991).
- NHS. Salt: the facts.
This page is reference information for UK shoppers. It is not medical advice.