Careers Business Ownership McDonald's Saltiest Foods Print Chris Hondros/Getty Images Business Ownership Industries Retail Small Business Restauranting Real Estate Nonprofit Organizations Landlords Import/Export Business Freelancing & Consulting Franchises Food & Beverage Event Planning eBay E-commerce Construction Operations & Success Becoming an Owner By Barbara Farfan Barbara Farfan University of Georgia Barbara Farfan is a retail industry expert with more than 20 years as a business consultant for the retail and publishing industries. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 07/23/19 Due to consumer demand, along with government mandates, McDonald's and many major restaurant chains in the U.S. restaurant industry are focused on the nutritional value of their food offerings as much as the taste and price. Below is a list of some of the worst McDonald's menu food items for sodium content. The list is arranged according to the salt content they contained in 2018, with the saltiest food items listed first. Guidelines from the American Heart Association This list of McDonald's foods high in sodium (i.e., salt) content, is based on guidelines provided by The American Heart Association. The Recommended Daily Allowance (or RDA) for the average adult is 2,300 mg per day. The RDA of salt intake for children is 1,500 mg per day. In June 2012, there were eight menu items listed on the McDonald's website nutrition page that contained 50% or more of the recommended sodium intake per day as deemed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2017 that number jumped to 24. The reason diners at McDonald's and the company's leaders should be concerned about the salt content levels is that, according to the American Heart Association, a high sodium diet puts children and adults at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and contributes to obesity. The FDA adds kidney, brain, and eye damage to the list of consequences of consuming too much salt. Worst McDonald's Food Items for Salt Content Big Breakfast with Hotcakes 2018 - 2,100 mg87% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult 6-Piece Buttermilk Crispy Tenders 2018 - 2,090 mg87% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Triple Breakfast Stacks Biscuit 2018 - 2,080 mg86% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Triple Breakfast Stacks McGriddles® 2018 - 2,020 mg84% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Bacon Smokehouse Buttermilk Crispy Chicken 2018 - 1,980 mg83% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Bacon Smokehouse Artisan Grilled Chicken 2018 - 1,940 mg81% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Double Bacon Smokehouse Burger 2018 - 1,920 mg80% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult 4-Piece Sweet N' Spicy Honey BBQ Glazed Tenders 2018 - 1,780 mg74% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult 20-Piece Chicken McNuggets 2018 - 1,680 mg70% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Bacon Smokehouse Burger 2018 - 1,580 mg66% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Triple Breakfast Stacks McMuffin 2018 - 1,560 mg65% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Mushroom & Swiss Artisan Grilled Chicken 2018 - 1,430 mg60% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese 2018 - 1,300 mg54% of the sodium recommended daily allowance for the average adult The average adult consumes 3,400 mg of sodium per day according to the Mayo Clinic. The primary cause of the excessive daily intake of sodium is processed and preserved foods. These are the menu offerings in America's fast-food restaurants like McDonald's. It's doubtful that McDonald's founder, Ray Kroc, had sodium content in mind when he was establishing one of the world's largest restaurant chains. However, times have changed and so have food supply chains, the Standard American Diet (SAD) and public awareness.