Chinese Takeout May Have The Salt Of 5 Big Macs, U.K. Group Warns

Sadly, salt and butter is what helps make most food so delicious, especially takeout. But the health-conscious U.K. is concerned about the high levels of sodium recently found in Chinese takeaway dinners. The Guardian and other outlets report today that a survey published by the Action On Salt watchgroup found salt levels in Chinese takeout that are "astonishing and harmful... some [meals] were found to have 'more salt than 11 bags of ready salted crisps.'"

Action On Salt is urging Public Health England—the government entity that recently suggested a new calorie count for the country—to implement warnings on Chinese foods due to their high salt content. (We're sure the soy sauce doesn't help.)

The worst-offending Chinese takeaway dishes in a survey published on Tuesday by Action On Salt were found to contain as much salt as five McDonald's Big Macs, while many had more than half an adult's entire daily allowance... Dishes from six Chinese restaurants were also analyzed, with 97 percent found to contain 2g of salt or more. More than half (58 percent) contained in excess of 3g of salt per dish—half an adult's maximum recommended daily intake.

High salt consumption can contribute to high blood pressure, known as the "silent killer," as well as heart disease. Graham MacGregor, chairman of Action On Salt and professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University Of London, told The Guardian, "Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure to reduce the number of people dying or suffering from strokes or heart disease. We are now calling on Public Health England to take immediate action." And we'll probably think twice about that second order of eggrolls.