Salt is also bad for business. In fact, consumers prefer products that boast less sodium. That’s the conclusion of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which highlights that the link between nutrition and health is becoming increasingly clear to shoppers.
The scientific work was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto, who subjected 506 hypertensive and nonhypertensive Canadians to four bogus food packages each accompanied by a different claim. In three cases, reduced sodium content and beneficial characteristics for good health were extolled; in the fourth, good taste was simply highlighted. The outcome of the test rewarded the packaged foods proposed as healthier, although the nutrition label and ingredient list were identical for all samples.
The research may now help convince those sectors of the food industry still reluctant to take the salt reduction route. It is certainly an assist to the WHO and national and European health institutions, which have been fighting for years to reduce salt consumption below 5 grams/day, and thus counteract its harmful effects on the cardiovascular system.
Notes
(1) Christina L Wong et al. Consumer attitudes and understanding of low-sodium claims on food: an analysis of healthy and hypertensive individuals. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. June 2013.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.052910
