UK experts warned on Friday that two strips of some bacon contain half the recommended daily salt intake and are "saltier than seawater."
Consumer watchdog Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) says the problem has been compounded in the UK due to the economic crisis in the country in that households are turning to bacon as a cheaper cut of meat.
In a survey of supermarkets, researchers looked at some 130 bacon products and found a wide discrepancy in the amount of salt in bacon products, with the worst offenders having a higher salt concentration than seawater, the report said. Some bacon brands contained as much as 5.58g per two strips. Other brands contained as much as three times the salt of similar brands found within the same supermarket.
Current recommendations are that adults consume no more than 6g of salt a day. Children aged seven to 10 are advised to consume no more than 5g of salt a day. For younger children aged four to six, to recommendation is no more than 3g.
"In times of austerity we have a lot on our minds already, without the extra worry that our budget meal choices contain too much salt," says CASH nutritionist Hannah Brinsden. "It is down to manufacturers to ensure that the salt in bacon is reduced and to provide us with a consistent labelling system so we are able to us to choose lower salt products and protect our health."
"We can all do our bit to make our cooked breakfasts healthier by grilling rather than frying, including more fruit and reducing portion sizes," adds Victoria Taylor, senior dietitian for the British Heart Foundation.
