WHATS more salty – a couple of rashers of bacon or a sweet and sticky pastry?
Most people would say bacon, but a Starbucks Cinnamon Swirl is just as salty. Like the bacon, the sugary snack contains 1.74g of salt, according to a study by the charity CASH – Consensus Action On Salt & Health. Add a latt to that pastry and the salt content intake tops 2g – a THIRD of the recommended maximum intake for the day. American-style muffins were also surprisingly salty, with most containing the same or more salt than a bag of crisps, which typically has 0.5g. Coffee shop chain Costa’s white chocolate muffin was the worst, packed with 1.71g of salt – three bags of crisps’ worth. Adults should eat no more than 6g daily – one rounded teaspoon. But figures from the Food Standards Agency say, on average, we are scoffing 8.6g of the hidden killer every day. Salt is a major cause of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes in the UK. Studies show that reducing salt intakes to 6g a day could save 70,000 people from suffering a stroke or heart problems. Professor Graham MacGre
