Salt Awareness Week 2012 (26 March to 1 April) is highlighting that a diet high in salt can lead to raised blood pressure, tripling the risk of stroke. As 75 per cent of the salt we eat is hidden in our food, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) are urging manufacturers to stop hiding salt, and fat, in our food.
The survey looked at 199 margherita and pepperoni pizzas, from local takeaways, pizza chains and leading supermarkets across the country, and analysis showed takeaway pizzas contained up to two and a half times more salt than the average supermarket pizza (2.73g versus 1.08g salt/100g). One takeaway pizza outlet [Adam & Eve] was found to be selling a pizza saltier than sea water, containing a huge 2.73g per 100g!
Shockingly, half of all the takeaway pizzas surveyed contain your entire 6g maximum daily recommendation for salt per pizza. Even worse, if you were to eat an entire pepperoni pizza from The Adam & Eve or La Viva Italia, you would be consuming more than 10g of salt.
A Pizza Express margherita pizza from a supermarket contains almost half (43%) the amount of salt per 100g than the restaurant takeaway equivalent (0.85g vs. 1.493g salt per 100g) – interestingly, Pizza Express recommend on pack that you only eat half of the supermarket version whereas you would eat the whole restaurant takeaway version.
Tips for eating healthier pizzas with less salt: