Chilled dips are sometimes seen as healthy alternatives to other snack foods. But research by Sustain member Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) has found them to contain alarming levels of salt, fats and calories.
The national survey looked at 210 chilled dips across all major supermarket chains, including houmous, guacamole, salsa and taramasalata.
The most commonly sold dip, houmous, was far from the healthiest, with 74% of samples having a red front-of-pack label for fat and no product providing a green front-of-pack label for salt.
Taramasalata was the saltiest product tested, with 100g of Marks & Spencer’s taramasalata found to contain more salt than 31 Ritz crackers.
Taramasalata was the saltiest product tested, with 100g of Marks & Spencer’s taramasalata found to contain more salt than 31 Ritz crackers.
CASH is urgently calling for the government to publish its much delayed Childhood Obesity Strategy, with recommendations that should include reducing salt and fat in the nation’s diet.
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
