Ready-Made Sandwiches, Salt and Saturated Fat Bombs

With most of the negative press in terms of healthy eating going to junk food such as pizza, French fries, KFC and McDonald’s, many tend to forget about the ready-made sandwiches we perhaps eat on a daily basis. A new study by Which? has revealed that the levels of salt and saturated fat in these quick lunches can sometimes exceed those in a Big Mac or other meals of the type, the Daily Mail informs.

Consequently, the Food Standards Agency is calling for new standards from the food industry, as regards the levels of salt and saturated fat it uses. Better labeling, which would also translate into the consumers being more informed about what they’re eating, and bringing down all levels of unhealthy ingredients are called for.

As Which? tells, most people are not even aware of the fact that, say, when they’re eating a ready-made sandwich (or sub), they’re actually ingesting the equivalent in salt of 12 bags of crispy salted chips.

“A sandwich might seem like a pretty healthy option, but there can be shocking amounts of salt, sugar and fat in some of them and you’d have no idea if they’re not labeled.” Martyn Hocking, editor of Which?, says for the Daily Mail. The idea is that all those ready-made sandwiches should come with labels that specify the exact ingredients and the quantities that go into its making. This way, people would have the option of choosing for themselves, while also being properly informed about their choice.

Nevertheless, restaurants and fast food joints are not that happy with the new findings – and especially with their being made public. As the Food Standards Agency is pressing them for changes, they are defending their products, maintaining that what consumers get now is already the new and improved version of former products – meaning, changes have been made and this is as good as it gets, to put it in other words.

“The major chains provide nutrition information to those consumers who want to know. The industry has made huge strides in reducing salt levels, for example, by changing to ingredients with lower levels.” a statement from the British Sandwich Association reads. It also adds that the organizations spend an estimated £5.5 billion a year solely on measures focused on health and improving their offering in this regard.