Bread putting lives at risk

[AB Asks]

Salt levels in supermarket bread are putting thousands of lives at risk each year. Bread is the largest source of salt in the British diet and high levels of salt consumption can lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks. The study found that many of the loaves of bread contained more salt that the Government's recommended limit. What do you think about the high salt levels in bread? Is there little to worry about? Or is bread not marked clearly enough if the salt level is over the Government recommended limit?

[alijangra]

Many foods have high salt levels so why should bread be marked any clearer? It is up to individuals to check what is in their food. In my opinion another excuse to blame someone else for eating crap food. The information is there for people who really want to know what they are putting in their bodies.

[Champagne]

It's not just the salt content that you should be worried about. Most white bread contains so many chemicals (including bleaching agents) and e-numbers that it should be categorized as junk food.

There are three simple rules to healthy living:-

buy fresh
buy local
and buy organic

As the nation continues to tackle obesity, we're going to be hearing more and more horror stories about the food off our supermarket shelves. I've read various books on the subject and have known about a lot of these facts for years.

[shaneystar2]

Choice yet again ...what right do the government have to make these limits and so on when they let the supermarkets peddle this pap and ride roughshod over the little independent baker . Some people have no choice but to buy what the supermarkets offer .
A loaf of bread with no salt is tasteless ....even a good artesan baker puts salt in his bread . . I used to work for one until the poor devil went bankrupt because he couldn't compete with the supermarkets .It's all very well to say buy fresh and local if you can ! Some people don't have that luxury ....the great God Tesco has seen to that.
All I can say is support your local baker and his lovely bread, if you have one ....because once he is gone you will wonder why .

[Gef]

Yet another irrational rant from AB and, as usual, no evidence to back up the claims.

I've just looked at my Warburton's Toastie loaf. It contains 0.58g salt per (thick) slice out of my daily recommendation of 6g. I usually eat 4 slices per day and so I know what I am getting.

Sometimes I buy bread from the local baker and it has no information on it at all - so how much salt is there in that?

ali, I totally agree with your answer and I agree with most of yours shaney.

[RATTER15]

Champagne, I will not buy organic, firstly, because it so over priced, secondly much of it is tasteless and thirdly, I used to work in a grain store that supplied most of the breakfast cereal manufactures, when the the corn came into our factory for processing, the first thing that was done, was to spray it with insecticide so it didn't infect the rest of the corn in the store, and we are talking about thousands of tonnes!! and by the time it was cleaned there was hardly any of it left, as it was such poor quality, most of it was blown away in the cleaners and what was left was poor quality and shrivelled.

[lafrancaise]

Apparently, salt isn't a problem UNLESS you've got high blood pressure, it doesn't CAUSE high blood pressure. If you're a healthy, fit, person and getting lots of exercise you need salt, if not you get cramps and get dehydrated quickly. Even moreso if you're living in a hot climate. The body gets rid of any excess.

[Denise S.]

I love my bread maker !! I use Lo-Salt and of course no preservatives.

[heathfield]

Some years ago, a doctor in Pennsylvania studied 1000 coal miners. He found that for a few of them, with certain causes of high blood pressure, a high salt
intake would increase their blood pressure. The tests were repeated and confirmed by a doctor in Wales.
From misleading media reports on those original studies has come the universal idea that all salt is bad for you.
Quite simply, it isn't.

[normy]

we're all going to snuff it sometimes, so if the salt doesn't get you, the contaminated turkey might, and if not that, maybe trans fatty acids, and so on and so on!! Everything in moderation as part of a balanced diet is fine, but if white bread is your tipple, then eat on!

[Bellringer]

Come AB. You need to eat 9 slices of supermarket bread to get anywhere near bad levels. Who eats that much bread in a day, apart from ducks on the park lake, and they thrive on it.

[Coldicote]

There was a time when farm workers in hot summertime fields took salt tablets to prevent dehydration. I wonder if they still do? 'Salt licks' were placed around the fields for the cattte. Historically natives in less developed countries used to trade in salt. In more recent times I've met golfers who take salt tablets. There are so many variations on the 'salt theme' that it needs getting into perspective. As for bread, some does taste distinctly salty and is probably best avoided by anyone with high blood pressure.

[funkymoped]

just when you thought it was safe to go back in the supermarket.... "BREAD"

i wonder if theyre gonna do a sreies of killer bread Questions ??

Bread 2, the loaf returns.

Bread 3, crusty cobs in isle 5
:-)

[sue11]

Bread 4. Tesco strikes back!
I think that the scare mongers put these stories out when there is a need to divert attention from other issues or when newspapers are trying to sell more papers!
We all need to be sensible of course, but there have been so many scare stories about food issues. I remember the papers doing a lead story on the fact that coffee and bacon being consumed together could kill you and the egg scare of course, then we are all going to die of BSE and so on, the list is endless. I never listen to any of these stories, but try to eat in moderation and make up my own mind. By the way I love my bread!

[jomifl]

Salt is supposedly put in bread to stregthen the dough,(so that you get a lighter loaf). I have made bread with no salt at all for a friend who is on a very low salt diet and it doesn't seem to make any difference except that it doesn't tase quite as salty. I have made bread with half the normal salt content for a restaurant and it has been wolfed down. Basically salt is cheaper than flour so it increases profit margins.