Carla Almeida, Eduarda Lopes, Ana Patrícia Faria, José Azevedo, Patrícia Padrão.
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 132, 2024
In recent years, dietary recommendations have multiplied, but when it comes to salt, perhaps popular wisdom is a good reference: "Salt is like humor, it should be used in moderation."
This study presents a worrying reality: in Portugal, 62.7% of packaged foods sold between 2020 and 2021 in one of the country's largest supermarket chains exceeded the sodium limit per 100g of food recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Identifying charcuterie products as a dietary source of salt is already expected, and this study confirmed it. However, recognizing bread and soup, foods so present in the daily lives of the Portuguese, as significant sources of salt may create greater resistance or controversy. Bread
has been a staple food in the Portuguese diet since ancient times. In this study, it was observed that more than 80% of the breads analyzed exceeded the WHO's sodium recommendations (330mg/100g). Interestingly, this percentage is significantly lower when compared to the national recommendation (400mg/100g) (approximately 30%), which leads us to question: are we really well positioned, or should our national target be reconsidered?
Let's now look a little more into the results observed for packaged soups. Despite their numerous nutritional advantages, the salt content in many of them is alarming. According to the results of this study, only 3 of the 34 packaged soups analyzed did not contain added salt, and more than 60% had a sodium content higher than that recommended by the WHO (235mg/100g).
The study also revealed an unexpected reality about fresh cheeses: about 90% of these products have a sodium content above the globally proposed limit (190mg/100g). We cannot forget, however, that the median sodium per 100g of this type of cheese is the lowest when compared to more aged cheese versions!
If we reflect on the aforementioned results, we are faced with a scenario where making food choices seems increasingly complex. But if you are thinking of eliminating bread, soup, and cheese from your shopping cart, think again!
Maintaining these foods as part of a proper diet is possible by opting for low-sodium alternatives. Regarding a preparation with very high nutritional value and unparalleled gastronomic tradition like soup, it is worth remembering that its consumption is advised and recommended.
Decisions related to the salt content of foods, despite their complexity, depend on clear criteria. The challenge now becomes choosing low-sodium versions of these foods to ensure the maintenance of good cardiovascular health, never forgetting that moderation remains the key.