The USDA reports that in one 5-ounce can of chicken without the broth, there’s 602 milligrams of sodium. If you were to compare the sodium content of 100 grams of canned chicken to a same-sized serving of cooked-from-raw chicken breast with no skin, there’s over a 100-milligram difference between the two. There are 482 milligrams of sodium in 100 grams of canned chicken, and 100 grams of skin-free cooked chicken breast have 360 milligrams of sodium (via USDA).
While sodium is important for our body’s functioning, overconsumption can potentially lead to health problems. The Mayo Clinic reports that the maximum recommended daily intake for sodium is no more than 2,300 milligrams for those at least 14 years of age. Experts point out that a great deal of our sodium intake can be traced to prepared foods. While the fact that canned chicken is fully cooked is what makes it so convenient, it also counts as a prepared food.
