You should have no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium each day if you’ve got heart failure. Less than 1,500 mg a day is ideal. But how do you do that? Sodium Content of Food. Whether you’re living with heart failure or not, it’s important how much sodium certain foods contain. Here’s a quick glance of some more popular foods. Note: These are ranges. The sodium content in certain food items may vary.