By Hannah Sherwood
If
UK adults are still consuming way too much salt, what about children? Their recommended
maximum daily amount is even lower yet their consumption is ‘worrying’, say
experts. What’s gone wrong, and what can we do about it in Salt Awareness Week?
Adults
should be limiting their salt intake to 6g a day, but the maximum amount for
children is much lower, at 3g for five to six-year-olds, 5g for eight to nine-year-olds,
rising to 6g for those aged 13 to 17. We all know children can find it hard to
resist salt laden treats like crisps, but a new study shows the salt in their
diets is coming from more unexpected quarters such as breads
and cereal products (36%), meat products (19%) and dairy products (11%).
‘Children, particularly teenagers,
are eating a worryingly high amount of salt,’ says Katharine Jenner, registered
nutritionist and campaign director of Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH).
‘What is most surprising about this new study is that this salt is not coming
from the salty foods you’d expect teenagers to eat, such as crisps and snacks,
which account for just 5% of their daily salt intake, but from breads and
cereal products, which don’t taste salty but account for a third of their daily
salt intakes! Children are not choosing to eat salty foods - the salt is hidden
in there by the food industry and they must take it out.’
WHY ALL THE FUSS?
‘Salt
puts up our blood pressure – the highest risk factor for stroke,’ explains
Professor Graham MacGregor, chairman of Consensus Action on Salt and Health
(CASH). ‘Reducing our intake would save thousands of people from suffering and
dying from a stroke.’ In fact, raised blood pressure accounts for 62% of
strokes and almost half of all cases of coronary heart disease. But that’s not
all. According to CASH, a high salt diet is linked to many other conditions,
including stomach cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, kidney stones and
obesity, as well as exacerbating the symptoms of asthma, Alzheimer’s disease and
diabetes.
Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian at
the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, says, ‘Childhood and adolescence
is an important time for the development of our tastes and of food habits that
can last a lifetime. Salt is a learned taste, so it’s worrying that so many of
the children and young people in this study were already consuming more than
the recommended amounts.’
DO A QUICK LABEL CHECK
Healthy
Food Guide expert and nutrition scientist Bridget
Benelam says, ‘It's important to check food labels for salt, especially those we eat
everyday like bread and cereal. Although a lot has been done to reduce the salt
content of foods, most of us are still eating too much. Look at traffic light
labels for an at-a-glance comparison of salt content or check the nutrition
information on the back of pack.’
If a product has more than 1.5g salt/0.5g sodium per 100g of food it is considered high in salt. Aim for those with less that 0.3g salt/0.1g sodium
5 EASY
WAYS TO USE LESS SALT AT HOME
*When you do
use it in cooking or at the table, measure it out with your fingertips rather
than pouring liberally from the tub or salt shaker.
*Buy a salt
shaker with the smallest hole you can find – and look out for grinders that can
be adjusted so less comes out.
*Opt for fine table salt rather than coarse crystals.
*Don’t rely on flavoured salts – choose other flavour
enhancers instead (see below).
*Consider a reduced-sodium salt alternative, such as
LoSalt.
10
WAYS TO FLAVOUR YOUR COOKING
Instead
of relying on salt, use these natural flavour enhancers:
*Fresh
or dried herbs
*Pepper
*Fresh
ginger
*Tomatoes
and tomato purée
*Lemon
(and other citrus) juice and zest
*Garlic
*Onions
*Celery
*Chilli
(fresh or dried)
*Red
or white wine
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