A survey by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) has found that half of nearly 700 popular meals from celebrity chef and High Street restaurants contain high levels of salt, equivalent to a red traffic light label on supermarket products. The 13 saltiest main meals exceeded the maximum recommended daily intake of 6g of salt.
The study analysed 664 main meals from 29 chains, including fast food and cafes. Among celebrity chef restaurants, Jamie's Italian had the highest average salt content, while Heston Blumenthal's Dinner had the lowest, all below 1.5g per dish. Celebrity and High Street restaurants generally had higher salt levels than cafes and fast food outlets, partly due to larger portions.
In the fast food category, Pizza Hut fared worst, with 93% of dishes containing over 2.4g of salt. Subway had the best results, with fewer than one in five meals receiving a red label. A regular BBQ meat feast pizza from Pizza Hut contained 6.36g of salt, while Domino's pepperoni passion pizza had 4.8g.
The survey also polled public opinion, finding that 54% of 1,100 people thought restaurant meals were too salty, and 90% wanted the option to add salt themselves. The Department of Health notes that reducing salt intake by 1g per day could prevent 4,147 deaths and save the NHS £288m annually.
Tracy Parker, dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, urged restaurants to provide clear menu labelling and reduce salt use. Graham MacGregor, chairman of Cash, said chefs' preference for saltier foods is hindering progress. Some chains, like JD Wetherspoon and Pizza Hut, said they have reduced salt levels in line with guidelines.
