Brits Now Eat Less Salty Bread - Does That Mean Lower Cardiovascular Disease In UK?

Health benefits of fall in Salt levels in bread in Britain

A new research has been published in the BMJ Open which suggests that there has been a significant reduction in the salt levels in bread consumed by the people living in Britain over the past 10 years. The study was led by Professor Graham MacGregor and his team at the Queen Mary University of London.

The study has found that the average salt content in packaged bread sold in the United Kingdom has fallen by about 20%. Various surveys were conducted by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) to analyze the reductions in salt levels in breads sold in the UK.

As part of the study, three surveys were conducted in 2001, 2006, and 2011 and the breads sold by different brands and supermarkets were analyzed for their sodium content. The nutritional labels on the bread packaging were examined and the salt content was observed. The survey conducted in 2001 involved recording the salt content in 39 different bread products.

The surveys conducted in 2006 and 2011 examined 138 and 203 different bread products, respectively. Of all the bread products examined, there were 18 types of bread products which were examined between all the three years. This subgroup of 18 bread products examined over all the three years exhibited an overall reduction in salt content by about 17%, relative to the overall readings.

It was found that the bread produced by renowned bsyrands had a higher level of sodium in comparison with the bread loaves produced by supermarkets. It was observed that branded breads had about 10% more salt content when compared with the breads produced by the supermarkets. The study also found that salt content was almost similar in different types of breads such as white bread, whole wheat bread, and brown bread.

This reduction in salt consumption has resulted in the lowering of cardiovascular diseases. As per Professor Graham MacGregor, reducing the salt intake of the population is one of the most cost-effective methods of improving public health as lower consumption of salt eventually lowers blood pressure and also lowers the number of people suffering and dying due to heart attacks and heart failure. Since bread is the largest contributor of salt in an average British diet, reducing the levels of salt in bread will go a long way in lowering the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in UK.

Sources of Sodium in our Diet

Most of us consume more sodium than what is prescribed for a healthy diet. In the US alone, more than 800,000 people die every year because of cardiovascular diseases. Most of the sodium in our diet comes from processed foods and foods that are prepared in restaurants. The major sources of sodium in our diet are listed below:

• Breads and rolls: Breads and rolls comprise almost 7.2% of the total sodium intake in our daily diets.

• Cold cuts and cured meats: About 5.5% of our daily sodium intake comes from cold cuts and cured meats.

• Pizza: Pizzas are also a major source of sodium in our diet.

• Poultry: Poultry comprises about 4.5% of the total sodium intake for an adult.

• Soups: Soups are also a major source of sodium in our diets. They comprise about 4.2% of the sodium intake in an adult.

• Sandwiches: Sandwiches are one of the biggest salt offenders and comprise about 4.5% of the total sodium intake of an adult.

• Cheese: Cheese is also high on sodium and you need to limit your daily consumption of cheese.

Other major sources of sodium in our diet include pasta mixed dishes, meat mixed dishes, and savory snacks, chips, popcorn, puffs, and pretzels. An interesting fact to consider is that almost 65% of the sodium that we consume comes from packaged food that we buy from retail stores. Therefore, you must look for lower sodium content options while making all your purchases.

Hazards of Consuming too much Salt

Consuming too much salt can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. A number of studies suggest that blood pressure increases with an increase in the salt intake in our diets. Studies have also proved that lowering salt consumption can help in curbing the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and death rates over a period of time.

Various studies have also shown that a higher intake of salty foods has a correlation with an increase in stomach cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research has found that salt can cause stomach cancer.

Salt rich diet can also lead to osteoporosis. Higher amounts of sodium in our diet can cause flushing out of calcium from our body. Lowering sodium levels can help in preventing bone loss.

Strategies for Cutting Down on Salt Intake

You can adopt the following strategies to cut down on your salt intake, without making your food tasteless or bland:

• Cut down on your portions: It is a widely accepted fact that the more calories your food has, the more amount of sodium it has. Therefore, try to cut down on your portions and you will observe that you can end up scaling down on your sodium intake. Try to skip the supersize helpings and share your dishes while dining out.
• Increase on your intake of fruits and vegetables: Try to fill at least half of your plate with fresh fruits and vegetables. This will not only boost your potassium levels but will also help in curbing the craving for sodium.
• Opt for fresh foods: Given a choice, you must try to opt for unprocessed or minimally processed foods. This will give you the option of deciding the quantity of sodium you want to add to your food.
• Try to get used to low salt foods: You must make efforts to gradually train your taste buds to savor low salt foods. If you try to cut down on your salt intake drastically, you will find the food less appealing and unappetizing. Therefore, you must try to lower the salt intake gradually and consistently.