Delia is in the soup as experts say 'cheats' have too much salt

Published on Sunday 6 April 2008 21:58

CELEBRITY cook Delia Smith has been accused of creating recipes dangerously high in salt in her latest television series.

Dietary experts have slammed Delia's latest programme How To Cheat At Cooking, in which she recommends ready-made ingredients instead of fresh produce.

A study, by campaign group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) claims the processed food she promotes is laden with salt.

Cash says just one portion of some of her dishes contains more than the entire daily recommended salt intake for adults.

Her carbonara, using ready-cooked bacon and salty Pecorino Romano cheese, contained more than 7g of salt per serving, says Cash.

And her pea and bacon soup contained almost 6g of salt per portion. The adult recommended daily maximum is 6g.

Health activists say they are puzzled at the use of pre- prepared ingredients in dishes that are just as quick to make from scratch.

They are calling for high profile chefs and cooks to promote sensible eating and for broadcasters to show nutrition information for every recipe demonstrated.

Professor Graham MacGregor, Cash chairman and professor of cardiovascular medicine at the medical school of St George's Hospital in London said: "Delia Smith is very respected by the public and has great influence over what we cook.

"It is a real pity that she seems to be unaware of the dangers of eating too much salt, and furthermore it seems as if these latest recipes have not been checked for their salt content.

"She is using processed foods like canned minced beef, which already has salt, then often she adds other ingredients that are very salty, such as capers and olives, then in some recipes she adds even more salt."

Carrie Bolt, a Cash nutritionist, said: "The UK population is always looking for quick and easy ways to feed families and I guess Delia feels she is meeting that demand, but I would always say that cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients is the best way forward."

She added: "It really doesn't take long to make a simple tomato sauce from a can of tomatoes, some onion, garlic and herbs."

Yesterday a BBC spokeswoman said: Delia does a lot of food research when developing her recipes for the series, and she explains what to look for in a ready-made product, in terms of its quality, how it's been prepared and its taste.

"In addition, the show has broadcast her visiting the Institute of Food Research where they discuss e-numbers and salt content and the importance of people being mindful of a ready-made product's ingredients when making their food choices."

A spokeswoman for Ebury, the publisher's of Delia's book, which recommends specific products, said all those chosen had been carefully selected.

However, Prof MacGregor insisted Delia and her contemporaries were putting thousands at risk of heart attack and stroke.

He said: "It is a bit irresponsible in general, not just Delia, because I do not think this is unusual among celebrity chefs – Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay are always adding salt to their food."

CHEATING PAYS OFF

HOW to Cheat at Cooking is a revamped version of Delia Smith's first book, written in 1971.

Although it shares the same name, the book has 140 new recipes.

Published on 15 February, sales are already strong and it has leapt to the top of the UK bestseller list.