The Salt, Sugar and Fat Debate Rages On
Reducing sugar, salt, and fat intake is a part of daily life that cannot be ignored to reduce the risk that comes with them like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Although steps have been taken in the right direction to curb these intakes, not all targets have been met making government organizations in the UK advocate for further reductions.
Some dieticians and policymakers are skeptical that further reduction may cause more harm than good with Dr. Carrie Ruxton insisting that salt has a vital role to play in many processed foods like preserving meat which can be harmful to public health if the amount is reduced further.
Ruxton further says that the industry has done its best to reduce the salt intake as targeted with their hands being tied as there is no other option remaining for them to reduce the amount of salt in processed foods without compromising on the quality.
The State of Affairs
The UK has the highest obesity rates in Europe although their sugar at 11% and total fat intake at 35% are in accordance with the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Food Standards Association (EFSA). For salt and saturated fats, the story is however different as the average UK consumer eats 50% more salt than the 5g a day ideally recommended by WHO. Saturated fats are consumed in excess of 4% more than the 11% that is recommended daily.
The WHO has lowered the bar further and set a 5% sugar reduction in processed food with EFSA disagreeing as it states there is no proof to suggest the reduction is warranted. Dr. Ruxton lends her opinion by saying that it is impossible to reach the set target and adds that drinking a glass of fruit juice is enough to put one above the set limit.
The Focus Should Shift
Carbohydrates are absorbed quickly which increases sugar levels and can be counteracted by integrating more fiber in the diet which slows down the absorption level reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Healthier fats associated with the plant, nuts, hyaluronic acid, and seed oil are more beneficial to overall health as they counteract the effect of some processed foods raising your nutritional profile. Consumers should switch to such fats as eliminating fat intake entirely isn’t the solution.
People should take health matters into their hands as they are fully equipped with educational programs to make informed decisions.
