Revealed: Restaurants who serve this much salt in a single meal

Published on Sunday 1 February 2009 21:16

DINERS at some of the UK's most popular restaurants have been warned that a single meal there could contain well over their daily allowance of salt.

Researchers found six out of 16 of the best-known high street chains served a main course dish containing at least 6g of salt, the government's recommended daily maximum for adults.

A three-course meal at Old Orleans, which specialises in the food of America's Deep South and has a restaurant in Edinburgh, could contain two-and-a-half times the limit, the study found.

Out of 96 popular dishes surveyed, the American hot pizza at Pizza Express contained 7.5g of salt and Wagamama ramen at the Asian noodle chain had 7.2g. By contrast, Harvester's Bramley apple pie and Zizzi's mela croccante both had 0.9g.

The researchers calculated people eating a three-course meal in some of the restaurants could consume well over their recommended daily allowance, depending on their choice of dishes. A diner at Old Orleans could eat 15.4g of salt across three courses. That is more than three heaped teaspoons.

The research, released to coincide with Salt Awareness Week, was carried out by trading standards officers around the country and campaign group Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash). Carina Norris, an independent registered nutritionist based in Fife, said most restaurants were starting to reduce salt content, but it had taken a long time to get action.

She said: "There has been a lot of public pressure on supermarkets, but only recently have people started to look at restaurants. Salt intakes are decreasing but still have a long way to go."

Graham MacGregor, chairman of Cash and professor of cardiovascular medicine at St George's Hospital in London, praised the efforts of Britain's food industry to reduce added salt and make labelling clearer.

But he added: "Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for foods we eat in restaurants."

Gordon Ramsay, who is supporting the Cash campaign, said: "A high salt diet poses many health risks and I urge all chefs to consider how much salt they add to their dishes."

Old Orleans questioned the research but said it was retraining all its chefs in the appropriate use of seasoning and was about to launch a new menu with lower salt content.

The Salt Association said Cash's science was "extremely poor". A spokesman said: "Can you imagine having something without salt? Most of the decent top chefs will be turning in their boots when they read the report. Salt is a basic taste ingredient"

IN NUMBERS

MAIN COURSES

Highest salt per portion:

Old Orleans – chicken fajitas, 8.84g

Old Orleans – wings and ribs (with fries), 7.59g

Pizza Express – American hot classic pizza, 7.5g

Wagamama – Wagamama ramen, 7.2g

Zizzi – pizza sofia, 6.7g

ASK – fiesta di carne pizza, 6.55g

Frankie and Benny's – chicken penne romana, 6.0g

Lowest:

Beefeater – sirloin steak, 0.39g

Harvester – 7oz fillet steak, 1.1g

Bella Italia – penne pollo a crema, 1.26g

Caf Rouge – steak frites, 1.97g

Harvester – flamed chicken: the original combo, 2.1g

FULL MEALS

Highest:

Old Orleans – grilled chicken wings, chicken fajitas, apple pie and ice cream, 15.4g

Wagamama – duck gyoza, Wagamama ramen, cheesecake, 11.3g

Pizza Express – baked dough balls, American hot pizza, cheesecake, 9.80g

TGI Friday's – boneless wings, BBQ burger, chocolate dirt cake, 9.80g

Zizzi – bruschetta al pomodoro, pizza sofia, mela croccante (apple and ameretto crumble, with ice-cream), 9.7g

Lowest:

Beefeater – prawn cocktail, sirloin steak and chips, apple crumble and custard, 3.04g

Bella Italia – garlic grossini, penne pollo a crema, The Godfather chocolate and ice-cream dessert, 3.04g

Prezzo – mushrooms al forno, pollo carbonara, honeycomb cheesecake, 3.47g

Harvester – crackerjack king prawns, 7oz fillet steak, bramley apple pie, 3.5g

Strada – bruschetta con pepperonata, tonno nizzarda, tiramisu, 3.5g