Home / Health / Soup's Salty Secret: High Sodium Levels Exposed
Soup's Salty Secret: High Sodium Levels Exposed
6 Feb
Summary
- 23% of supermarket soups exceed voluntary salt targets.
- One soup contains more salt than two McDonald's cheeseburgers.
- Government action is urged due to widespread noncompliance.
Analysis of nearly 500 tinned and chilled soups indicates that 23% exceed the government's voluntary salt target. Action on Salt and Sugar (AoSS) found that 48% of branded soups and 6% of own-brand varieties contained over 0.59g of salt per 100g. Soup Head's Tom Yum soup was identified as the saltiest, with 3.03g in a 300g pack, surpassing half the daily recommended intake.
This high salt intake is linked to health issues such as high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. While the NHS recommends a maximum of 6g of salt daily, adults in England consume an average of 8.4g. AoSS calls for stronger government incentives and accountability to encourage reformulation, as progress on salt reduction has reportedly stalled.
In contrast, major retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Lidl were found to have soups at or below the government's salt target. The Department of Health and Social Care stated that a modernized nutrient scoring system, including salt criteria, and restrictions on junk food advertising are being implemented to improve diets.
