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Concerns over hidden salt in sweets

A lot of sweet foods, especially those targeted at children are very high in salt putting heath at risk.

Eating excess salt is linked with high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.

The Cash survey

Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) released new research which found high levels of salt in desserts, sweet drinks and sweet snacks which people were unaware of.

Cash suggests to check food labels and stop buying very salty foods. A survey carried out by Cash of 2375 parents in the US, showed that many were unaware of the salt in sweet processed foods. Only 3% of parents knew that a blueberry muffin had more salt than two bags of potato crisps.

Professor MacGregor, Cash's chairman, said research showed children with high salt diets had higher blood pressure. He told The Guardian, "We want to see all manufacturers doing everything they can to reduce the salt they put in children's food."

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