Supermarkets And Salt

A report from the PM's Strategy Unit has found that not eating enough fruit and vegetables is causing 42,200 premature deaths a year. The good news is that 44 per cent of schoolchildren in England now consume five portions daily, up from 27 per cent in 2004. This is down to the Jamie Oliver Effect and more free fresh fruit.

Buried at the end of the Guardian article is that 55 people a day are dying due to excessive salt consumption.

This is something that the government has wanted action on for eight years, but unless the government uses a big stick, it's down to supermarkets.

One of the arguments put forward by food manufacturers is that reduced-salt food will not taste as good. There are also commercial concerns a less salty diet will reduce the demand for drinks.

Commercial concerns shouldn't come first when 400 people are dying a week.

The National Consumer Council (in 2006) and Consensus Action On Salt And Health (2007) have outlined the dangers.

The government recommends that adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day, but average intake of salt is still at 9g a day.

14 million "ready meals" are eaten each year, and here are the top 3, according to CASH, for salt content:

- Asda Indian chicken tikka masala and pilau rice, 5g salt
- Waitrose chicken tikka masala and pilau rice, 3.63g salt
- Co-op chicken in Thai green curry sauce with oriental rice, 3.6g salt