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SCMP Reporter

Study finds daily salt intake is three times the WHO recommendation

Hong Kong people consume three times as much sodium as recommended by the World Health Organisation, and the main culprits are soup noodles and sauce-laden dishes like Fujian-style fried rice, a government study has found.

Food and Environmental Hygiene Department consultant Ho Yuk-yin  said the average daily sodium intake  of Hong Kong people was between  5,000mg and 6,000mg, whereas the WHO recommended no more than 2000mg.

The study, which tested 107 dishes and three sauces, found  more than two-thirds exceeded the health body's  recommendation.

Dr Ho said eating too much sodium, which is mainly found in salt, could eventually lead to high blood pressure.

'High blood pressure is a chronic condition that could then lead to other problems, such as heart disease or stroke,' he said.

The survey found fried noodles with preserved vegetable and spare rib to be the saltiest with 3,300mg of sodium per dish, followed by thin soup noodles with beef tendons, which had 3,200mg. Fujian-style fried rice contained 3,100mg.

Fried rice also came with the added danger of clogging the arteries, and the six dishes containing the most cholesterol  all contained fried rice.

Fried rice with diced chicken and dried octopus was the worst with 630mg per dish - more than double the 300mg a day recommended by the WHO.

Dr Ho said Asian countries generally had higher sodium intakes because of their choice of ingredients and cooking style,  so few met  the WHO's guidelines.

'The standard set by the WHO is actually quite strict.'

Scientific officer Jacqueline Fung Wai-chung said sodium was mainly found in the condiments and sauces that accompanied rice, noodle or congee dishes.

One of the reasons the study found soup noodles to be high in sodium was that  the soup bases often contained MSG, table salt and salty meat.

Ms Fung said the study also found  most of these foods lacked calcium, since they rarely included milk-based products. She suggested supplementing calcium intake through milk or soy products, and said it was also important to eat vegetables and fruit.

'The key is to strike a balance in what you eat.'

Dr Ho said that, despite the findings, it was safe to eat the dishes studied.

'Rice, noodles and congees are staple foods for the Chinese public and a good source of carbohydrates.'

To minimise the amount of salt eaten, he recommended sharing dishes, avoiding sauces and gravies, and eating steamed instead of fried rice.

Dr Ho also called on restaurants to use  more vegetables in their dishes,  use less cooking oil and  serve sauces separately, whenever possible.



We're eating far too much sodium