2007 October 20 | Healthy Living

Salt Level in Fast Food is Higher Than Thought

A new study from a group I had not heard of before, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash), has found what I can only call absurdly high levels of salt in food from fast food restaurants. Even though most fast food joints claim they have reduced the level of salt in their food, the study found that a single fast food meal can contain 2 - 4 times of an individuals total daily salt intake recommendation. Here is a pretty in-depth article on the study.

I have written before about ways to reduce salt in your diet. Maybe I should add to the list: Stay as far away from Pizza Hut as possible! Of course, it is not just Pizza Hut and not only the salt that is in the food when it is delivered to you that is the problem. I remember eating at McDonalds a few years ago and noticing how most people added salt to their french fries. Imagine the intake level that would have created.

I think the real question that is raised here is: Does it really matter? I saw people in an Australian forum calling for government regulations on the salt level of food. If regulations are put into place to control the level of salt in food, will it just be another example of government trying to protect people from themselves? I mean, who does not know that a Quarter Pounder with cheese, fries, and a soda is terribly unhealthy for you!

I think the best approach is to require the restaurants to prominently display salt and fat levels of their food and then let people make informed choices. If we can educate people about what is really in their food, maybe the companies will be forced to make positive changes on their own.