What are you eating with pizza?

New research by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) and the Association of London Environmental Health Managers (ALEHM) [1] for Salt Awareness Week 2012 reveals massive differences in the salt and fat content between takeaway pizzas and those purchased from supermarkets. Salt Awareness Week 2012 (26th March – 1st April) is highlighting that a diet high in salt can lead to raised blood pressure, tripling the risk of having a stroke [2]. As 75% of the salt we eat is hidden in our food, CASH are urging manufacturers to stop hiding salt, and fat, in our food.

“It is surprising there is still so much salt hidden in every day foods” says Katharine Jenner, Campaign Director of CASH. “It should be up to us how much salt we eat, but whilst there is so much salt in our food, people are unable to choose a healthier diet and are therefore putting themselves at risk of a stroke. This is why we are highlighting hidden sources of salt in our food for Salt Awareness Week. ”

The survey, which is the most comprehensive yet, looked at 199 margherita and pepperoni pizzas, analysed from local takeaways, pizza chains and leading supermarkets across the country [3], and showed takeaway pizzas were the highest in salt, containing up to two and a half times more salt than the average supermarket pizza (2.73g vs. 1.08g salt/100g). One takeaway pizza outlet [Adam & Eve] was found to be selling a pizza saltier than sea water, containing a huge 2.73g per 100g! [4]

Top 5 saltiest takeaway pizzas:
1. The Adam & Eve Pepperoni Pizza (Barnet) – 2.73g salt per 100g (10.57g per 388g pizza)
2. La Vera Italia Pepperoni Pizza (Wandsworth) – 2.43g salt per 100g (10.68g per 439.6g pizza)
3. Ciao Bella Pepperoni Pizza (Havering) – 2.21g salt per 100g (9.22g per 417.4g pizza)
4. Ciao Bella Margherita Pizza (Havering) – 2.13g per 100g (7.69g per 361.8g pizza)
5. Il Mascal Zone Pepperoni Pizza (Barnet) – 2.08g salt per 100g (9.21g per 443g pizza)

Shockingly, half of all the takeaway pizzas surveyed contain your entire 6g maximum daily recommendation for salt per pizza. Even worse, if you were to eat an entire pepperoni pizza from ‘The Adam & Eve’ or ‘La Vera Italia’, you would be consuming more than 10g of salt.