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Get your free copy05 September 2011, 10:36 AM
- A single slice of bread from one in four British loafs contains the same amount of salt as a bag of crisps, says a new report
Breads perceived to be ‘healthier’ options, such as seeded or multigrain types, were some of the worst offenders. One loaf was found to have a higher salt concentration by mass than seawater.
The research was carried out by the health group Cash (Consensus Action on Salt & Health), which analysed 294 fresh and packaged loaves from supermarkets and upmarket bakeries. The findings revealed huge variations in content, but more than a quarter of loaves (28%) contained as much salt per slice as a packet of crisps.
“With bread being the biggest contributor of salt to our diets, it is frankly outrageous that bread still contains so much salt,” said Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Cash. “The Department of Health needs to ensure that all bread is clearly labelled and that all manufacturers reduce the salt of bread to less than the salt target of 1g per 100g.”
“It is the very high levels of salt that is hidden in everyday food, such as bread, that puts up both adults’ and children’s blood pressure. If all manufacturers cut the salt in their breads by a half, it would reduce our salt intakes by half a gram per day, which is predicted to prevent over 3,000 deaths from strokes and heart attacks a year,” he added.
The three packaged breads with the highest salt content were Cranks seeded farmhouse, Vogel’s original mixed grain and Asda’s Chosen By You Baker’s Gold white farmhouse.
