Many supermarket products pack a hearty punch when it comes to added extra dietary salt.
With so much public focus on all things carbohydrates and protein in the diet, the amount of sodium or salt the average Australian consumes is sometimes forgotten. The truth is that too much added salt isn’t good for us, and is associated with higher blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke.
At present, public guidelines recommend that Australians eat no more than 2000mg or the equivalent of 5g (1 teaspoon) of added salt in the diet daily. This compares with about 9g or 3600mg, which is closer to what the average Australian now eats. In other words, too many of us are getting far too much of the white stuff.
While fast food is known for its high salt content, a number of pantry foods pack a hearty punch when it comes to added extra dietary salt, some of which may surprise you.
Two-minute noodles
While two-minute noodles are a convenient and cost-effective option for busy families, the reality is that once you add that tiny flavour sachet to your noodles, you are probably adding at least 1500mg if not closer to 2000mg of sodium to any meal, along with a hearty dose of MSG.
A better option: Sunrice Yum Asian Style Chicken Flavour Instant Rice Noodles (62g)
One of the few wholegrain options that does not contain added MSG.
Be careful of: Fantastic Chicken Noodle Bowl
Contains almost your entire daily intake of sodium per serve.
Packet soups
The amount of sodium in pre-made soups differs widely, with most containing at least 600mg of sodium per serve, and on average 800mg. There are a handful of exceptionally high options, and these tend to be Asian-style soups with noodles that have as much as 1800mg of sodium per serve.
A better option: Coles Simply Soup Packet Chicken Noodle (50g)
Soups that contain less than 300mg of sodium per 100g are a reasonably good choice.
Be careful of: Trident Thai Hot Spicy Soup Packet (50g)
With almost 2000mg of sodium per serve, it leaves many pre-made soups with much lower sodium levels.
Soy sauce
With a single tablespoon of soy sauce containing more than 1200mg of sodium – and if you consider that popular Asian dishes may contain several high-salt sauces such as fish, oyster and hoisin sauce – a salt overload is the reason you may feel particularly thirsty and bloated after your favourite Asian feast. Indeed, you can find lower salt varieties of soy, which reduce the total amount of sodium per serve by roughly 30 per cent, and are certainly worth the investment.
A better option: Mr Chen’s Soy Sauce Reduced Salt (250ml)
With 30 per cent less sodium than the average soy sauce.
Be careful of: Maggi Seasoning Sauce (200ml)
Contains almost double the amount of sodium as reduced salt options.
Meal base sauces
Whether to make a stir-fry, satay or curry, a wide range of pre-made sauces make meal prep a whole lot easier. The downside? Most of these sauces contain your entire daily recommended intake of salt. While they may serve four people, generally pre-made sauces are extremely high in added salts.
Stock
Like soups, there is a wide range of stocks with vastly different quantities of sodium. For example, some more boutique stocks have no added salt, while others contain as much as 800-1000mg per serve. Where you can, look for salt-reduced versions of stock, or buy varieties that contain very little added salt, though these do tend to cost double what lower-salt varieties do.
A better option: Maggie Beer Chicken Stock (1L)
One of the few stocks without any added salt.
Be careful of: Campbell’s Chicken Stock (500ml)
Has the highest percentage of added sodium of liquid stock available.
Curry paste
A single 50g serve of curry paste can contain more than 1000mg of sodium – and that’s before you consider the other ingredients used to make an entire curry.
A better option: Sharwood’s Butter Chicken Simmer Sauce (420g)
A number of options offer 300mg of sodium or less per 100g.
Be careful of: Passage Foods Passage to India Sri Lanka Chicken Curry Simmer Sauce (375g)
With more than 1000mg of sodium per serve, this product contains half your daily recommended upper intake of sodium.
Canned spaghetti
Any food found in a can will generally contain some added salt to help preserve the food, but tomato-based spaghetti options are particularly high, with up to 600mg in a half-cup serve.
A better option: Coles Simply Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce (410g)
This option is not only cost-effective, it’s also one of the lowest amounts of added salt of all canned spaghetti options.
Be careful of: SPC Spaghetti in Tomato & Cheese (420g)
Flavoured varieties tend to pack more salt, with more than 300mg per 100g, or up to 700mg per serve.
Breadcrumbs and rubs
Supermarkets now sell a growing range of flavoured breadcrumbs and rubs, including those with various fast food flavours. A closer look at the nutritional panel will reveal these products – for example, garlic or peri peri flavour – can have as much as 500mg of sodium in just a teaspoon of crumb or rub.
A better option: Woolworths Panko Bread Crumbs (220g)
Much lower in added salts than other flavoured options.
Be careful of: Nando’s Peri Peri Rub Garlic Medium (25g)
A rub designed to be added to foods rather than breadcrumbs, these products are loaded with sodium, with almost 500mg per tiny 5g serve.
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Susie Burrell is an accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist.
