New research has shown pub grub for children is packed with high levels of salt.
Consensus Action on Salt and Health found some pub and restaurant lunches for kids contained more than their 4g guideline amount of salt for an entire day. The worst offenders were Nando’s Veggie Burger with Creamy Mash, which contained 5.3g of salt, while a Wiltshire Cured Ham and Cheese Sandwich at Wetherspoons, served with chips, contained 4.8g.
The findings also showed a lack of nutritional information on menus makes it difficult for parents to opt for a healthy choice if they want to.
Mubeen Bhutta, Policy Manager at the British Heart Foundation, said: “Most parents do everything they can to keep their family healthy, and so many mums and dads strive to avoid the salt shaker.
“The disappointing thing about these findings is that parents choosing to head out for lunch are being kept in the dark about the amount of salt served up in their child’s food.
“Whether you’re out at a restaurant or shopping in the supermarket, consistent traffic light coloured labelling on packs and menus would give busy parents the at-a-glance information they need.”
Britain’s takeaway pizzas found to be shockingly salty
New research has found that takeaway pizzas have up to two and a half times more salt than the average supermarket pizza. Half of all the takeaway pizzas surveyed by Consensus Action on Salt and Health were found to contain your entire daily salt recommendation per pizza.
Three quarters of supermarket pizzas surveyed currently meet the salt reduction target set by the Department of Health, whereas less than a fifth of takeaway pizzas manage this.
Victoria Taylor, Senior Heart Health Dietitian at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: “Nobody would choose to eat an entire teaspoon of salt in one go, yet by eating some of these pizzas, that’s what we’re doing.
“We need clear traffic light labelling, in takeaway restaurants as well as on supermarket shelves, to help us all understand what’s really in the food we are buying.
“The take away message from this takeaway survey is that eating healthily isn’t about cutting out our favourite foods, but balancing these with healthier options and making the best choices we can. In order to help us make these choices for ourselves and our families we need clear, easy to understand information on all food packaging.”
Information from the British Heart Foundation – www.bhf.org.uk/
The British Heart Foundation is the nation’s heart charity, dedicated to saving lives through pioneering research, patient care, campaigning for change and by providing vital information. But we urgently need help. We rely on donations of time and money to continue our life-saving work. Because together we can beat heart disease.
