Salt and Sugar Intake: a Review

Comment

The World Health Organisation (WHO) started a consultation on sugar daily intake guidelines – the consultation runs until 31/3/2014: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2014/consultation-sugar-guideline/en/.

Reducing sugar intake can have beneficial effects on one’s health, from lowering the risk of obesity and diabetes to preventing dental problems.

The current WHO guidelines issued in 2002 state that “sugars should make up less than 10% of total energy intake per day.” Under the new proposal, this should be reduced to less than 5% or 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of sugar per day for an adult. Sugar content is calculated as both added sugar to drinks and foods and naturally occurring sugars in fruit, as well as sugar in ready meals.

It’s also Salt Awareness Week – http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/awareness/Switch%20the%20Salt%202014/117369.html.

The charity Action on Salt is campaigning to improve the labelling on food packaging to make it easier for consumer to choose low salt foods.

Food companies are being asked to reduce the amount of added salt in their products: research found that there is a link between salt consumption and developing the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.