Bad Habits… And Hidden Ingredients
The average person consumes approximately 8.4g of salt a day – 40 per cent more than recommended – and up to double or even three times the recommended intake of sugar.
According to a study by LoSalt more than a fifth of Brits use salt out of habit, with 27 per cent shaking it onto restaurant meals before tasting and a third adding it while cooking.
However, reducing intake is not always as straightforward as stepping away from the salt cellar or sugar bowl and simply giving up the sprinkling.
Around three quarters of our salt intake comes from processed foods which aren’t always obvious – such as bread, spreads and sauces, warn experts.
The same applies to added sugar, says Rob. “A significant amount of free sugars we consume are hidden in salad dressings, condiments, breakfast cereals, soups, cook-in-sauces and ready meals.”