Supermarket bread as salty as a packet of crisps, research shows

White baguettes and brioche rolls packed with sodium could be increasing risk of stroke

White baguettes and brioche rolls are among the worst contenders for adding hidden salt to our diets, with most supermarket slices containing more sodium than a packet of crisps, according to new research.

UK campaign group Action on Salt found 75 per cent of 242 store-bought loaves of sliced bread contained more than the 0.34g found in a bag of ready salted.

By comparison, a medium portion of McDonald's fries has around 0.23g of sodium.

A similar trend is seen in the UAE, with six out of seven popular white breads containing at least 0.31g of salt per 100g serving, and one brand loaded with 1.2g of sodium per 100g.

“Just two slices of bread on a sandwich may account for as much as one-quarter of the recommended daily sodium intake,” said Dr Mahmoud Elgendy, internal medicine specialist at NMC Royal Hospital in Dubai Investments Park.

“Most of the sodium in our diet comes from foods which we might not think of as salty, including bread.”

Of the bread on sale in UAE supermarkets, L'usine sliced white bread had the lowest salt content at 0.12g per 100g serving, while La Boulangere long life sliced brioche contained 1.2g of salt per 100g.

Yaumi white bread contained 0.48g of salt per 100g, and Golden Spike Golden Loaf had 0.52g of sodium per 100g serving.

A traditional 250g fresh baguette contained 0.60g of salt, while a large Arabic flat bread from Al Arz bakery had 0.31g of sodium per 100g.

Whole grains used to make bread are naturally low in sodium, but it is added during processing in the form of salt or sodium chloride to enhance flavour.

It is also needed to ferment the yeast that makes bread dough rise and improve its shelf-life.

The UAE has some of the highest regional rates of hypertension, with salt intake one of the major contributors to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.

A 2019 Dubai Household Survey found about 32 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women had hypertension, a common precursor to stroke or heart attack.

The recommended intake for sodium is 1,500 milligrams daily, the amount of sodium needed to keep the body working at optimal capacity, or about two thirds of a teaspoon of table salt.

Excessive sweating or sickness in which bodily fluids are lost can require an intake of sodium to replenish reserves.

While excessive amounts of salt can be harmful, it does serve a purpose.

Sodium works together with potassium to transmit electrical impulses that keep muscles, nerves and the heart working.

It also regulates the volume of fluids in the body, which is how it impacts blood pressure.

By consuming excess sodium, the body retains more water, which increases the blood volume and makes blood pressure elevate over time, adding to the risk of developing cardiovascular and kidney disease.

“Whether it is sandwiches or Subways, a lot of us love eating bread, but it isn’t the healthiest option,” said Pranita Gavanka, a clinical dietitian at Saudi German Health in the UAE.

“Bread is widely considered to be one of the best and easiest food choices.

“But it provides the most dietary salt, does not have many required nutrients and might help in weight gain with daily use.

“Rather than cutting out bread to reduce salt intake, limit the consumption of discretionary foods such as chips, pastries, biscuits and canned foods.

“Reducing salt is the most effective measure to lower blood pressure and reduce stroke and heart disease.”

Regional high intake

The average salt intake in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is more than double the daily recommendation, according to a World Health Organisation report.

A reduction in dietary intake of sodium of 50 millimoles per day — a measure used for the amount of a substance — could reduce the number of people needing anti-hypertensive therapy by 50 per cent, the report said, while the number of deaths from strokes could be cut by 22 per cent and the number of deaths from coronary heart disease by 16 per cent.

The UAE National Nutrition Strategy 2022-2030, led by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, aims to cut salt levels in food as part of targets to improve national health.

Goals include reducing average salt intake by 30 per cent and bringing in limits on industrial trans fats via five food foundations, which are developing sustainable and flexible food systems for healthy diets, providing health systems and comprehensive coverage of basic nutrition measures, offering social protection and nutrition education, providing safe and supportive environments for nutrition at all ages, and following an advanced food strategy.

“High salt intake in diet leads to increase in incidence of systemic hypertension, heart failure and cerebrovascular disease,” said Dr Upendra Shah, Specialist in Interventional Cardiology at International Modern Hospital in Dubai.

“Every 1g increase of dietary salt intake leads to a 6 per cent increase incidence of cardiovascular disease, so it is necessary to reduce salt content in bread.”