Salt warning on takeaways
WE all know that takeaways aren’t the healthiest of foods, but many of us are completely unaware of how bad they actually are for us.
Some takeaway meals can push you over your recommended daily maximum amount of salt and fat, which can lead to a variety of health problems later in life.
Campaign group Action on Salt (actiononsalt.org.uk) has warned the public should be particularly mindful when purchasing Chinese meals from restaurants and supermarkets, claiming that many should carry health warnings.
Researchers studied more than 150 popular Chinese dishes and found some contained five times more salt than a Big Mac, and many contained well over an adult’s recommended 6g daily allowance of salt.
Here are three of the worst offenders:
BEEF IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE
ACTION on Salt’s analysis of six Chinese takeaway meals bought from restaurants in London’s Chinatown found that beef in black bean sauce with vegetable noodles was the by far the saltiest dish on the menu. While there were variations in the salt content from restaurant to restaurant, one of the black bean dishes analysed contained a whopping 11.5g of salt – almost double an adult’s daily recommended allowance.
EGG FRIED RICE
IT’S a tasty accompaniment to any main dish, but adding egg fried rice to your order could easily tip your daily intake into the red zone.
The fried rice dishes that Action on Salt analysed delivered anything between an extra 2.3-5.3g of salt, on top of the high sodium content lurking in your main meal.
DIPPING SAUCES
IF you love slathering a spring roll in sweet and sour sauce, look away now.
The research found that Chinese dipping sauces were, on average, five times saltier than seawater. The charity added that incorporating sides and sauces to your meal could provide you with nearly 4g salt per person alone.