Dangers of salt ignored

IRISH people are not getting the message that too much salt is pushing up their blood pressure levels, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

According to the SLÁN report on dietary habits, the average salt intake has remained the same among men and women over the past 10 years at about 8g a day — well above the daily recommended allowance of 6g.

And the 6g set by the Food safety Authority of Ireland is set at a level well in excess of physiological requirements.

The estimate also excludes discretional salt added during cooking and at the table, underestimating the total salt intake by between 15 to 20%.

About one third of people said they always or usually added salt to their cooking or at the table.

And one fifth said they always or usually did both.

Last year, seven out of 10 people exceeded the recommended allowance — 74% of men and 69% of women.

One third of salt intake from food was derived from cereals, breads and potatoes — the highest percentage added to the diet. Meat, fish and poultry products contributed 22% of daily intake, while soups, sauces and spreads were the third highest contributors at 14%.