Gail's Chicken Sandwich Tops UK Salt List at 6.88g, Exceeding 6g Daily Limit
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 15
Gail's Chicken Sandwich Tops UK Salt List at 6.88g, Exceeding 6g Daily Limit
4 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 15
Gail's chicken Caesar sandwich was identified as the UK's saltiest in an analysis of more than 500 sandwiches, with 6.88g of salt in one serving and about 1,000 calories.
That level exceeds the UK's 6g daily recommendation and the WHO's 5g cap; the agency says excess salt intake is among the top preventable drivers of death globally, linked to 1.7 million deaths a year.
Researchers said a single high-salt meal is unlikely to cause lasting harm, but regular intake gradually raises blood pressure by increasing blood volume, lifting the risks of stroke, heart attack and kidney damage.
UK intake remains well above guidance: the latest 24-hour urine data from 2019 showed men averaging 9.2g a day and women 7.6g, with little improvement since 2008.
Campaigners say most salt is already built into everyday foods such as bread and processed meals, arguing manufacturers must cut it; Gail's did not respond, while industry groups said products now contain less salt than in 2015.
Why do food giants use so much salt when they know it is a silent killer?
If one sandwich has a day's salt, is reading labels a futile way to protect our health?
New tech offers healthier salt, but can it ever truly replicate the taste we crave?