Portuguese Consume Double the Daily Recommended Salt Intake
A leading Portuguese blood pressure spokesperson has warned that parents are feeding their children too much sodium after a study found that Portuguese people consume twice the internationally recommended daily sodium intake. The study found that the average Portuguese consumer takes in 10.7 grams of salt per day—the equivalent of more than 4,100 milligrams of sodium. Speaking at the study’s launch, Fernando Pinto, head of the Portuguese Society for Hypertension, said, “There are children eating 8 grams of salt a day, when the maximum recommended amount for this age group is 3 grams.” – The Portugal News
Some U.K. Fish-and-Chip Shops Switching to Salt Shakers with Fewer Holes
Some fish-and-chip shops in the United Kingdom are switching to salt shakers with far fewer holes in a bid to prevent high blood pressure and heart disease. Participating shops have swapped 17-hole shakers for 5-hole ones to encourage customers to sprinkle less seasoning on their meals. The National Health Service is providing the shakers and low sodium salt as part of the project. The shops also are being asked to display posters that tell diners, “Too much salt is bad for your heart. Fewer holes, less salt, healthier you.” The British group Consensus Action on Salt and Health claims each serving of fish and chips contains about 465 milligrams of sodium before any salt is added at the table. – Mirror
Three Varieties of Salt Introduced on Open Market in South India
The government of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has released Amma Salt, an affordably priced quality common salt made by the Tamil Nadu Salt Corporation to help people of lower socioeconomic status. Three varieties will be available under the Amma Salt brand—double-fortified salt, refined free-flow iodized salt, and low sodium salt. The double-fortified variety helps those with anemic and goiter disorders, the refined free-flow salt helps those with hypothyroidism, and the low sodium salt is beneficial for those with high blood pressure and cardiac conditions. – The Hindu