The group analyzed 118 snacks including dried / roasted snacks and processed snacks such as lentil curls, chickpea chips and puffs, Which are often seen as healthy alternatives to the usual snack options such as crisps and flavored nuts.
Despite the fact that these products are on average lower in fat, saturated fat and calories, and higher in fiber compared to normal nuts and nuts, more than one in three (43%) took in excess of 1.5g / 100g of salt – often more than that in crisps and nuts. KP salted nuts contain 1.3g / 100g of salt, while Walkers Ready salted belts contain 0.35g of salt in a 25g bag.
Dried / roasted, corn-style snacks were the saltiest level at 1.85g / 100g. The most salty dry snacks studied were Salt Corn & Grapes And Love Corn Habanero Chilli, With 2.8g / 100g salt. Just one serving of 45g of one of those snacks (1.3g of salt) would provide one-fifth of the maximum daily salt and more than 3.5 bags of Salted Ready Salted crisps, the group said. UK adults are advised not to eat more than 6g of salt a day.
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Despite the fact that more than half (56%) of the results surveyed were high in fat, salt and / or sugar, the majority did not display color-coded nutrition information on the front of the package according Government voluntary guidance.
Instead, most featured on-pack nutrition claims, which, according to Action on Salt, deceive consumers by creating a separate ‘health halo’ that detoxifies. encourage customers from a deeper analysis of the ingredients. For example, the saltiest snack studied, Eat real Chilli Hummus & lemon flavored chipsIt contained 3.6g salt / 100g, with the front of the pack saying ‘40% less fat, Vegan, gluten free ‘.
Over 80% of the snacks surveyed included a packaged nutrition-based claim (eg ‘x kcal per serving’ ” Less fat ‘,’ No added sugar ‘,’ Source / High in fiber / protein ‘), and almost all (93%) include applications such as’ gluten free’, ‘Vegan’, ‘All natural’ and ‘No preservatives’ false ‘.
One in three snacks surveyed indicated the use of sea salt, despite having a crunchier texture and stronger flavor, generally have the same levels of sodium and nutritional value as table salt.
The use of nutritional claims on HFSS foods needs to be questioned ‘
The group called on the Government to appoint a representative for Public Health England to help reduce salt levels across all foods and said its inquiry raised serious health concerns, to especially with reports of increased food intake in 2020 compared to pre-COVID. Salt is called a ‘forgotten ingredient that raises blood pressure and puts us at greater risk for strokes and heart attacks’.
Sonia Pombo, Campaign Manager at Action on Salt, said: “We should all be eating more beans and sticks, but there are better ways to do it, and eating high-salt snacks is not one of them. This important study has highlighted the amount of essential salt in ‘healthy’ snacks, and the use of nutritional claims on HFSS foods needs to be questioned. Instead of misleading their customers, companies should do what they can to help us make more informed decisions, including using color coded leaflets on the front of pack. ”
Professor Graham MacGregor, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary University London and Chair of Action on Salt, said: “It’s a shame that food companies continue to fill our food with so much salt – especially those that entice consumers to buy these ‘healthy’ snacks, when they are just opposite. ”
The European Snack Association defended the region’s performance in product innovation and reform. General director Sebastian Emig said: “The snack industry has a successful history of successful refurbishment programs. In the UK, snack manufacturers voluntarily reduced the amount of salt in crisps by more than 53% between 1990 and 2019. ”