Some ‘healthy’ vegan foods ‘saltier than eight hamburgers’

Some “healthy” sounding plant based and vegan meals served at UK restaurants, fast food and coffee chains contain more salt than eight Mcdonald’s hamburgers, a report has claimed.

Three out of five plant-based restaurant meals surveyed contain 3g or more salt – half of an adult’s maximum daily intake – according to analysis by Action on Salt.

The survey analysed 290 plant-based and vegan meals collected from a total of 45 restaurant, takeaway, fast food and coffee chains.

It found that three out of five plant-based restaurant meals surveyed with nutrition information contain 3g or more salt – half of an adult’s maximum daily intake. Meanwhile, 19 of these provide 6g or more salt – an adult’s entire maximum daily limit – in just one meal.

Sonia Pombo, campaign manager for Action on Salt, said: “Eating a more plantbased diet can and should be beneficial for a number of reasons, but whether you are looking to eat less meat for animal welfare, sustainability or health reasons, it is important to know a ‘plant-based’ or ‘vegan’ label does not automatically qualify a product as healthy.

“It is time for restaurants and cafes to step up and start making food that is healthy for us and better for the planet.”

Wasabi’s Pumpkin Katsu Curry Yakisoba contained 10.3g salt – saltier than eight Mcdonald’s Hamburgers while the firm’s Veg Tanmen Soup had 9.7g salt – saltier than 21 anchovy fillets.

The research also found that over one in five of the plantbased dishes surveyed provide more than half an adult’s maximum daily recommendation for saturated fat. However, some restaurants offered vegan dishes that have seven times less salt than their competitors, demonstrating that these meals can easily be made with much less salt.

Graham macgregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and chair of Action on Salt, added: “It is shocking that many in the out-of-home sector appear to be deliberately ignoring voluntary salt reduction targets, in what many regard incorrectly as healthy food. The government must enforce stricter salt reduction targets wherever you choose to eat.

“Salt is the leading cause of raised blood pressure which in turn is the major cause of strokes and heart disease.”

The group of experts said they wanted the UK Secretary of State for Health, Matt Hancock, to implement more robust salt reduction targets – with proper enforcement.