New research suggests that many of the UK's most popular takeout meals contain more salt than diners are led to believe. In some cases, a single meal provided well over the recommended daily limit, even though menu labels suggested otherwise.
Researchers found that 47% of the takeout foods they tested contained more salt than their stated values. Curries, pasta dishes, and pizzas were among the foods most likely to have higher salt levels than advertised.
Although not every restaurant listed salt information on its menu, some meals purchased from independent restaurants in Reading contained more than 10g of salt in a single serving. By comparison, the recommended daily salt intake for an adult in the UK is 6g.
One unexpected finding was that traditional fish and chip shops served some of the lowest salt meals. Because salt is typically added only after cooking and only if requested, these meals generally contained less salt than many other takeout options.
Study Examined Takeout Salt Labels
