“… Meals offered by fast-food chains as healthy options are still steeped in salt, fat and sugar…
… the most comprehensive analysis of fast food in Australia has found.
Public health experts yesterday said the research reinforced calls for a junk-food tax …
… with research also showing a tax would be more effective than promoting healthy eating and exercise.
Less than half the salads available from fast-food outlets were low-fat …
… and there was a twentyfold variation in sugar and fat between salads …
… according to the study of nutritional information from about 90 percent of Australian fast-food outlets.
Not a single sandwich was low-salt, and on average they contained nearly 2.5 grams –
- almost half the recommended maximum daily intake of six grams.
This combined with an average of nearly 15 grams of fat.
Elizabeth Dunford, the study leader and researcher with The George Institute for Global Health, said people often viewed sandwiches as healthy.
“Consumers don’t know at a glance if a sandwich is healthier than a burger, [but] they are going to assume the sandwich is healthier,” she said.
“But bread is a major contributor to sodium … and with processed cheese and meat … it is no surprise they are high in salt.”
Breakfasts were some of the worst offenders.
No company provided a low-salt option … and, on average …
… breakfasts had the highest levels of sugar and saturated fat…”
go to source/story>>>Fast-food chains’ healthy options not so healthy | Stuff.co.nz
