Scientists have found dangerously high amounts of salt in ready meals, reports the BBC. The researchers add that the salt level is much lower in fresh meals, e.g. prepared at home.
Consensus Action on Salt and Health, a group of experts who study the effects of salt on health, found that most of the 600 ready-made supermarket foods they studied contained unnecessary amounts of salt.
Scientists add that preparing fresh meals dramatically reduces salt levels. British supermarkets, however, defend themselves by saying they are leading Europe in reducing salt levels.
Experts from Consensus Action on Salt and Health calculated that preparing a typical Sunday lunch, made only of ready-made products: meat, vegetables and spices, could consume 10 grams of salt, while the maximum daily dose should be 6 grams.
If people read labels and buy fresh vegetables and meat, they could prepare a dinner containing less than 2 grams of salt.
So let’s spend a little more time preparing your meal. Scientists warn that excessive amounts of salt can lead to stroke, heart attack and heart failure, the most common cause of death and disability in the UK (PAP).