Latest news with #ActionOnSalt
The Independent
29-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The small menu change that could make people healthier
A study by Liverpool University, published in The Lancet Public Health, found that salt warning labels on restaurant menus effectively encourage healthier food choices among consumers. The research, described as the "strongest evidence to date," indicated that these labels discourage the selection of high-salt options. In an online trial, labels reduced salt ordered by 0.26g per meal, while a real-world trial in a Liverpool restaurant saw a reduction of 0.54g per meal. The warning labels alert diners to dishes exceeding 50 per cent of the recommended UK daily salt limit of 6g and were effective across all age, sex, and education levels. Experts, including the study's lead author, Dr Rebecca Evans and Sonia Pombo from Action on Salt, highlighted the potential of such labelling policies to significantly improve public health and called for salt reduction to be central to UK food policy.
The Guardian
28-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Is it true that … natural salt is healthier than table salt?
Flaky sea salt, pink rock salt, fleur de sel … Thanks to a generation of TV chefs sprinkling gourmet seasonings on dishes with flair, it feels instinctive that these natural, premium versions of sodium chloride are somehow healthier than humble table salt. And many of them market themselves that way – claiming that lower levels of processing and higher levels of minerals like potassium and magnesium make them the superior choice. But Sonia Pombo, a registered nutritionist and head of research and impact at Action on Salt, disagrees. 'The evidence linking a high intake of salt to raised blood pressure is very well documented,' she says. (Overconsumption is also linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer, osteoporosis and kidney problems.) 'Some of these companies may try to convince the public they're better,' she says. 'But if you look at the tiny amounts of magnesium or potassium in these salts, it's laughable. If you want micronutrients, eat a piece of fruit.' The benefits of electrolytes, too, are often overstated, she says. Saline drinks can be helpful if you're recovering from a stomach bug or training like an elite athlete on a restricted salt diet. But for most of us? 'They're not really necessary – we're already eating too much salt.' In the UK, adults are advised to consume no more than six grams of salt a day. The most recent figures show we eat 40% more than that – but even six grams isn't a target to aim for, Pombo says. 'We can survive and thrive on as little as one gram per day.' If you're worried about how much salt you use, the only 'better' kind is low-sodium salt. The real answer is to gradually reduce consumption – slowly, so you don't notice the difference. Cook at home more often and beware of hidden salt in products like bread and sauces.
The Guardian
28-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Is it true that … natural salt is healthier than table salt?
Flaky sea salt, pink rock salt, fleur de sel … Thanks to a generation of TV chefs sprinkling gourmet seasonings on dishes with flair, it feels instinctive that these natural, premium versions of sodium chloride are somehow healthier than humble table salt. And many of them market themselves that way – claiming that lower levels of processing and higher levels of minerals like potassium and magnesium make them the superior choice. But Sonia Pombo, a registered nutritionist and head of research and impact at Action on Salt, disagrees. 'The evidence linking a high intake of salt to raised blood pressure is very well documented,' she says. (Overconsumption is also linked to an increased risk of stomach cancer, osteoporosis and kidney problems.) 'Some of these companies may try to convince the public they're better,' she says. 'But if you look at the tiny amounts of magnesium or potassium in these salts, it's laughable. If you want micronutrients, eat a piece of fruit.' The benefits of electrolytes, too, are often overstated, she says. Saline drinks can be helpful if you're recovering from a stomach bug or training like an elite athlete on a restricted salt diet. But for most of us? 'They're not really necessary – we're already eating too much salt.' In the UK, adults are advised to consume no more than six grams of salt a day. The most recent figures show we eat 40% more than that – but even six grams isn't a target to aim for, Pombo says. 'We can survive and thrive on as little as one gram per day.' If you're worried about how much salt you use, the only 'better' kind is low-sodium salt. The real answer is to gradually reduce consumption – slowly, so you don't notice the difference. Cook at home more often and beware of hidden salt in products like bread and sauces.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Jamie Oliver hits back at claims his ready meals are 'dangerously' high in salt
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has given a robust response to alarming findings that some of his ready meals contain three times as much salt as a portion McDonald's fries. An investigation by Action on Salt, a group of leading academics, revealed that the TV cook's offerings — sold in Sainsbury's — contain 'danergously' high levels of salt. All of the six ready meals produced by the chef that were analysed by the campaign group were found to contain more than 1.5g of salt per 100g. Eighty-three per cent were also found to be high in both fat and saturated fat, and all were found to be low in fibre, which is important for preventing bowel cancer. The restauranter is known for his healthy eating campaigning, including a 2005 crusade to introduce more nutritious food into British schools and eliminate high-calorie meals like the infamous turkey twizzlers. Now he runs advocacy groups aiming to slash childhood obesity. Responding to the revelations, a spokesperson for the Jamie Oliver Group said: 'We've always believed in balance, in our cookbooks, in our restaurants and that remains consistent across our food products which range from healthy options — frozen veg and grain pouches — to the more indulgent ready meals. 'This is in line with Jamie's longstanding 70:30 ethos. Everything is sourced to Jamie's high food standards, there are no hidden artificial nasties or sugars and we are always transparent with clear front-of-pack labelling about which of our range is more indulgent.' The Action on Salt researchers found that one in five ready meals for sale in Britain exceeded the recommended daily limits for salt, fat and unsaturated fat. The probe looked at the nutritional content of more than 1,500 meals sold by more than 30 brands and supermarkets in the UK. Results showed that the saltiest option contains a whopping 6.1g per serving—nearly twice as salty as seawater, two margarita pizzas (5.2g) or almost ten servings of chips at McDonald's. The NHS recommends adults only eat 6g of salt for the entire day, for children the limit is even lower. Commenting earlier today, experts labelled the probe's findings 'concerning' and 'unacceptable', arguing manufacturers must reduce the salt content of their meals and protect public health. Having excess salt in your system leads to water retention in the blood raising your blood pressure. This can, subsequently, raise the risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke. Heart disease and strokes are one of Britain's biggest killers, killing about 160,000 a year, with the American death toll about five times higher. Of the 1,511 ready meals analysed, Action of Salt found 56 per cent were high in salt, 42 per cent high in saturated fat and 71 per cent low in fibre. One in five were found to be both high in fat and salt simultaneously. Action on Salt's head of impact and research Sonia Pombo said voluntary targets for producers to reduce salt content introduced in 2006 were clearly not working. 'With over half of ready meals found to be unacceptably high in salt, consumers' health are being put at serious risk, often without realising it,' she said. 'It should not be this hard to eat healthily. 'We now need the government to stop pandering to industry interests and introduce mandatory salt reduction targets with real consequences for non-compliance.' Dr Pauline Swift, chair of the charity Blood Pressure UK, also called for action. 'Excess salt in our food is directly linked to raised blood pressure–the biggest risk factor for strokes, heart disease and kidney disease–all of which are completely avoidable,' she said. 'The government must act now to enforce stronger salt reduction targets and protect public health before even more lives are needlessly lost.' Professor Bryan Williams OBE, chief medical and scientific officer at the British Heart Foundation, added: 'This concerning data shows it is not always straightforward for people to find ready meals which are low in salt. 'Food companies must do more to reduce salt in their products, so that the healthy options are more easily available.' The NHS warns that too much fat in your diet, especially saturated fats, can raise your cholesterol, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, getting enough fibre, also called roughage, helps with digestion, preventing constipation and is also linked with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Ready meals are now considered a staple of the modern British diet with surveys suggesting three out of four people consuming at least one per week.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
The unhealthiest ready meals ranked by salt content
By JOHN ELY DEPUTY HEALTH EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE Published: | Updated: Ready meals sold in Britain can be saltier than ten portions of McDonald's fries, a damning audit has revealed. The probe, by campaign group Action on Salt, looked at the nutritional content of more than 1,500 meals sold by more than 30 brands and supermarkets in the UK. Results showed that the saltiest option contains a whopping 6.1g per serving—nearly twice as salty as seawater, two margarita pizzas (5.2g) or almost ten servings of chips at the fast-food chain. By comparison, the NHS recommends adults only eat 6g of salt for the entire day, for children the limit is even lower. One in five ready meals for sale in Britain exceeded the recommended daily limits for salt, fat and unsaturated fat, Action in Salt found. Even some seemingly healthy dishes contained far more of all three nutrients than recommended. Experts today labelled the probe's findings 'concerning' and 'unacceptable', arguing manufacturers must reduce the salt content of their meals and protect public health. Having excess salt in your system leads to water retention in the blood raising your blood pressure. This can, subsequently, raise the risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke. Heart disease and strokes are one of Britain's biggest killers, killing about 160,000 a year, with the American death toll about five times higher. Action on Salt's investigation found all of the ready meals produced by chef and healthy eating campaigner Jamie Oliver were dangerously high in salt, containing more than 1.5g per 100g. Eighty-three per cent were also found to be high in both fat and saturated fat, and all were found to be low in fibre. Meanwhile, Royal's cottage pie, sold by the likes of Sainsbury's, topped the list for salt content at 6.12g. Royal also took another top spot with its Chicken Tikka Masala with Saffron Rice which had almost 4.7g of salt per serving. Iceland's Taste of Italy Vegetable Lasagne was another high scorer with 3.9g of salt per serving, over half of an adult's daily recommended salt limit. By supermarket, Iceland had the most salty ready meals with 86 per cent of its products high in salt. This was followed by Aldi (70 per cent), Lidl (64 per cent), and M&S and Sainsbury's (54 per cent each). Morrisons performed the best of out of the supermarkets, with only 40 per cent of its ready meals high in salt. Action on Salt also found substantial variation on salt content within different types of ready meals. For example, Sainsbury's Free From Spaghetti Bolognese contained 4.35g of salt per serving. This was 8.5 times more salt than another product Kirsty's Pasta Bolognese Gluten Free which only had 0.5g of salt. Trendy ready meals made by Charlie Bingham weren't far behind Jamie Oliver's in terms of salt content with 91 per cent high in salt. Of the 1,511 ready meals analysed Action of Salt found 56 per cent were high in salt, 42 per cent high in saturated fat and 71 per cent low in fibre. One in five were found in be both high in fat and salt simultaneously. Action on Salt's head of impact and research Sonia Pombo said voluntary targets for producers to reduce salt content introduced in 2006 were clearly not working. 'With over half of ready meals found to be unacceptably high in salt, consumers' health are being put at serious risk, often without realising it,' she said. 'It should not be this hard to eat healthily. 'We now need the government to stop pandering to industry interests and introduce mandatory salt reduction targets with real consequences for non-compliance.' Dr Pauline Swift, chair of the charity Blood Pressure UK, also called for action. 'Excess salt in our food is directly linked to raised blood pressure–the biggest risk factor for strokes, heart disease and kidney disease–all of which are completely avoidable,' she said. 'The government must act now to enforce stronger salt reduction targets and protect public health before even more lives are needlessly lost.' Professor Bryan Williams OBE, chief medical and scientific officer at the British Heart Foundation, added: 'This concerning data shows it is not always straightforward for people to find ready meals which are low in salt. 'Food companies must do more to reduce salt in their products, so that the healthy options are more easily available.' The NHS warns that too much fat in your diet, especially saturated fats, can raise your cholesterol, which in turn increases the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, getting enough fibre, also called roughage, helps with digestion, preventing constipation and is also linked with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. Ready meals are now considered a staple of the modern British diet with surveys suggesting three out of four people consuming at least one per week. The Department of Health and Social Care was contacted for comment. Action on Salt's analysis of ready meals was based on products surveyed in January of this year.
