Nutracheck survey highlights lack of awareness of recommended salt intake levels
A survey carried out by nutrition tracking app Nutracheck revealed that at least 43% of respondents could be eating too much salt.
The survey (of 482 respondents), carried out in conjunction with the Stick to 6 Challenge campaign, was created in partnership with Season With Sense to demonstrate the need for further education around salt intake levels.
In the UK, the recommended daily amount of salt is 6g: but the results of the survey revealed this was unclear for almost half of those surveyed.
And this misinformation is common in the industry as a whole, says Dr Ian Campbell MBE, obesity and weight loss management expert: “Keeping our salt intake to a minimum is a really simple way to improve our health. Too much salt in our diet can cause high blood pressure, leading to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. A major challenge is that most of the salt we ingest comes in pre-prepared everyday foods such as bread, cereals, processed meat and take-aways but it is important to be mindful of the salt we add, either to the food we cook, or direct to our plate on the table; keep it to a minimum. A little less salt is more palatable than a few more tablets to keep your blood pressure healthy.”
Nutracheck’s nutritionist, Beth Furness (ANutr), says: “Cutting down on salt doesn’t have to mean cutting down on flavour, or cutting out your favourite foods. This misconception is what puts many people off – but by making swaps to low-in-salt products, reduced sodium alternatives to traditional salt, changing habits surrounding salt use, and cooking from scratch more often, you will see your salt levels reduce with ease, and your health benefit massively.”
Nutracheck is a calorie and nutrient tracking app used by over 400,000 members to simplify the process of keeping a daily food and exercise diary. Nutracheck is designed for anyone who wants to gain insights into their eating habits for health, manage their weight, or maintain a balanced diet without banning foods or overcomplicating their daily lives.
