LET’S EAT MORE TOMATOES - ORGANIC, OF COURSE!

This article was published in Telegraph on 11^th February 2008

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2008/02/11/htom111.xml

Tomatoes: The humble superfood in your salad

A new book documents, for the first time, the benefits of tomatoes, reports Chloe Rhodes

Breda's comments in green

Pomegranates, pumpkin seeds, green tea, goji berries and, most recently, beetroot have all jostled for position at the top of the superfood tree. But never has the case for the superfood crown been argued more persuasively than it has now for the humble tomato.

In his new book, The Red Bodyguard, pharmacist Ron Levin has, for the first time, collated decades of research confirming the powerful health-giving credentials of this everyday fruit.

Tomatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports the immune system and helps maintain healthy skin and tissue lining. They are packed with antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin E, both of which are essential for heart health, and are a good source of potassium. One medium-size tomato provides 50 per cent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C; they contain no saturated fatty acids, are low in salt, starch and sugars, high in dietary fibre and have a low glycaemic index.

But that's not all. Tomatoes are the richest source of an exceptionally potent antioxidant called lycopene - the pigment that gives them their deep red colour. (so when you are buying your tomatoes, you know what to look for….) A single lycopene molecule can neutralise 13 free radicals (interesting) which, if allowed to build up, can cause cell damage and trigger cancer - that's twice the free radical busting power of beta-carotene, another powerful antioxidant.

The amount of lycopene in a tomato varies according to the variety, but deep red tomatoes are best - they can contain 50?mg of lycopene per kilogram. On average, people in Britain consume only 1.1 mg a day - a fraction of the recommended five to eight mgs.

Cooking and condensing tomatoes is an easy way to increase one's intake, as this concentrates the lycopene. Analysis of the Mediterranean diet, which keeps southern European populations comparatively healthy, suggested that cooking tomatoes with olive oil further improves their potency.

Lycopene and beta-carotene are broken down by heating, and are soluble in oil but not water, so cooking tomatoes in olive oil prepares these beneficial chemicals perfectly for absorption by the body. One Italian study showed that absorption of lycopene was more than three times greater when consumed as tomato sauce or paste than from raw tomatoes.

Lycopene plays other roles in the prevention of disease. Three independent studies conclude that it may suppress the production of an insulin-like growth hormone called IFG - 1, which is made in the liver and stimulates the growth and spread of prostate and breast cancer.

Other research collated by Levin suggests that lycopene may enhance chemical communication between the cells, which helps to regulate unusual cell growth and may even reverse the process by which a tumour becomes malignant. A laboratory study found that it has a similar effect to the cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins. This is truly fascinating.

'The Red Bodyguard: The amazing health-promoting properties of the tomato' by Ron Levin (Icon) is available for £5.99 + 99p p&p. To order call Telegraph Books on 0870 428 4112 or go to books.telegraph.co.uk

HEART DISEASE

When free radicals attack soluble fats in the blood, the fats solidify and form layers known as plaques, which build up in the arteries and restrict blood flow.

Eventually the heart muscles become starved of oxygen, leading to a heart attack or stroke, and the plaques break away from artery walls causing blood clots or thromboses. In 2001, a team of scientists at the Rowett Nutritional Research Institute in Aberdeen tested the juices of 17 different fruits for possible anti-clotting activity.

Tomato juice was found to be very potent. Additionally, agents in the gelatinous substance around the tomato seeds appeared to help prevent blood platelets from clumping together, guarding against the formation of clots.

PROSTATE CANCER

A study at Harvard University, in 1986, looked at the impact of 46 fruits and vegetables on the development of prostate cancer over nine years. Only four food items were found to be significantly related to a lower risk of prostate cancer - tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes, tomato juice and tomato purée.

Men who had regularly eaten 10 or more helpings per week had reduced their risk of developing the cancer by 30 per cent, as compared to those who consistently consumed one helping or less. Again, tomato sauce made by cooking tomatoes in oil appeared to be more effective than raw tomato. Recent trials have suggested that tomatoes could also reduce, slow or prevent the conversion of latent prostate cancer to the aggressive, lethal form.

MALE FERTILITY

Excess production of free radicals in the semen reduces sperm count and has been linked to infertility.

In a study of 50 people, infertile patients were given a daily capsule containing eight mg of lycopene until their sperm analysis was normalised or pregnancy was achieved. There was a 36 per cent pregnancy success rate. Amazing - considering male fertility is severely on decline.

HOW MUCH?

Have one of these tomato variants with half to one teaspoonful of virgin olive oil three to four times a week: soup (one cup); juice (one cup); cooked tomatoes (two medium whole tomatoes); ketchup (two tablespoons); spaghetti sauce (½ a cup); paste (two tablespoons); purée (two tablespoons) sauce (¼ of a cup).

EYESIGHT

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) affects the central part of the retina called the macula, which controls fine vision. Researchers found that eye disease was less frequent and less severe in people with antioxidant-rich diets. Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lutein, which is believed to protect the retina from free radical damage.

Again and again we see that food can be real medicine. We just need to know how to use it. I guess, that’s why you are doing this course.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS ARE VITAL FOR HEALTH

This article was published in The Independent on 16th February 2008.





Christopher Furlong/Getty

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/vitamin-deficiencymay-cause-modern-ills-782990.html

Breda's comments in green

It is interesting to note that scientists finally recognise the value of micro-nutrients for health.

Having said that, it does not mean that one can eat junk and then take the 'pills' to negate any negative effects. I am also against the supplements being sold without a professional prescription. Most supplements (and herbs) have medicinal effects in large enough doses.

Very often members of public take a range of pills, containing same ingredients (eg vitamin A or vitamin E) and end up taking excess amounts of these fat soluble vitamins which are stored in the liver and in large enough doses can contributive to toxicity. Furthermore, most supplements interfere with medications, so individuals taking prescription drugs are particularly vulnerable. While I am a great fan of vitamins and minerals and I take them regularly, I know what I am doing, while an ordinary Jo Blog does not, which can cause harm and give bad name to the whole industry. That's my personal opinion, anyway.

Vitamin deficiency may cause modern ills

by Steve Steve Connor

A chronic shortage of vitamins and other "micronutrients" in the diet may be responsible for triggering many of the ills of modern life such as cancer, obesity and the degenerative diseases of ageing.

Professor Bruce Ames, of the University of California, Berkeley, who invented one of the standard tests for cancer-causing chemicals, said many people's diets were deficient in one or more of the 40 micronutrients essential for a healthy life.

Taking dietary supplements in the form of vitamin pills could help to counteract many of the disorders associated with ageing, Dr Ames told the American Association meeting.

He said many people on a high-calorie diet in the West or poor diet in developing countries were short of micronutrients and this caused the body to go into an emergency "triage" response in which it tried to keep its metabolism in balance by a process of compensation. This ensures immediate survival, but the consequences are an increase in DNA damage, which causes future cancers, a lowered immune defence, and a decay of the mitochondrial "power plants" of the cells, which causes accelerated ageing," he said.

He said a shortage of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients could also be partly responsible for obesity.

The fluoride controversy re-emerges

The debate over fluoridation of our water supplies has been raging for many years. The first pilot schemes in the UK were launched in 1955 and today around 10% of the population has a fluoridated water supply. However, as far as I can tell, there has been limited or no new fluoridation of supplies since the 1980s. New legislation in 2003 gave each Health Authority (HA) the power to ensure a supplier adds fluoride to the water supply but none of the authorities have made use of this. So why did I think it would be useful to discuss this now?

At the beginning of February the Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, stated that he wanted the authorities to start using these powers to enforce fluoridation of the water. The new drive is an attempt to halt tooth decay amongst the poorer sections of the population. Whether this will result in an increase of suppliers adding fluoride remains to be seen. In the meantime, I thought it would make an interesting topic for the blog.

So what is the evidence that fluoridated water supplies help prevent tooth decay?
Unfortunately the time to review all the evidence is not a luxury I have! So I’m just going to point out some of the sources I have found and let each of you do your own research as and when you need to.

A review of the evidence by McDonagh et al (2000) found that “the best available evidence” suggested that fluoridation of water supplies did reduce caries prevalence. But this beneficial effect could range anywhere from a substantial benefit to a slight disbenefit to children’s teeth and also came with an increased prevalence of fluorosis (mottling of teeth). The authors pointed out that they were unable to find any reliable good-quality evidence in the fluoridation literature world-wide. This study is widely recognised as the most recent, major review of the evidence in this country.

At this point, I’d like to suggest that an increase in fluorosis is not necessarily a minor discomfort. The social and psychological effects on children are significant.

I have also found two much more recent reviews (Cheng 2007, Pizzo 2007) that have attempted to re-evaluate water fluoridation’s purported benefits. According to Cheng (2007), if fluoridation was defined as a medical treatment there would be insufficient evidence to justify its continuation (very interesting!!). The authors state “although the prevalence of caries varies between countries, levels everywhere have fallen greatly in the past three decades, and national rates of caries are now universally low. This trend has occurred regardless of the concentration of fluoride in water or the use of fluoridated salt”.

Well that’s enough to make me question the benefits of mass fluoridation. As we all know, good nutrition can play a pivotal role in dental health – perhaps we should invite the Health Secretary to a BCNH lecture! ;-)

And the adverse effects?
Although the McDonagh study (2000) concluded that an association with water fluoride and adverse effects such as cancer, bone fracture and Down’s Syndrome was not found, in a later press release the authors stated “we felt that not enough was known because the quality of the evidence was poor”. Now, forgive me but if I was Health Secretary I’d be very reluctant to add something into our water supplies that hopefully was safe!

For those of you that are interested in reading more I have to recommend this website http://www.fluoridealert.org/. The website discusses a vast array of medical research on fluoride (check out the ‘Health Effects Database’) and the information is a good weapon to have if you’re ever asked to give an opinion on fluoridation. The list of conditions that fluoride has been shown to negatively impact is frightening.

So what can we do?

In order to introduce fluoridation in any area, the Health Authority is required to hold a public consultation. Check local newspapers regularly and contact your authority directly to find out if one is being held in your area. Arm yourself with some scary facts and speak up!

If you are already in a fluoridated area, unfortunately a jug filter (e.g. Brita) does not remove fluoride. Your best option if you are going to drink tap water is to install a reverse osmosis filter. Obviously the repercussions for your clients are going to be enormous. The very people that fluoridation is designed to help (the poorer sections of society) are unlikely to afford reverse osmosis filters

You can check whether your area has fluoridated water supplies here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7228586.stm

It would be interesting to hear if anyone else has any ideas or feedback. Breda has asked me to write an entry for the blog once a month so please get in touch if there are any topics you feel would be of interest.

Bev Shergold
Level 1 & 2 Tutor


References:
Cheng KK Chalmers I Sheldon TA (2007) Adding fluoride to water supplies British Medical Journal Oct 6;335(7622);699-702

McDonagh MS Whiting PF Wilson PM Sutton AJ Chestnutt I Cooper J Misso K Bradley M Treasure E Kleijnen J (2000) Systematic review of water fluoridation British Medical Journal Oct 7;321(7265):855-9

Pizzo G Piscopo MR Pizzo I Giuliana G (2007) Community water fluoridation and caries prevention: a critical review Clinical Oral Investigations Sep;11(3):189-93

GOUT - A PAINFUL CONDITION, YET EASY TO CURE

It used to be called rich man's disease but gout is now more and more prevalent among young people due to poor eating habits and lifestyle choices.

This article (not the images) was published on 9th February in BMJ http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/336/7639/329

Management of recurrent gout

by Robin Fox, GP

Breda's comments in green

An overweight 60 year old man tells you he has had four episodes of gout over the past year and wants to know how to reduce the chance of further attacks. He takes amlodipine for hypertension.

What issues you should cover

Confirm diagnosis

Is it really gout? A typical history of rapid onset, severe, self limiting joint pain reaching its maximum over 6-12 hours, with swelling and erythema (from eruthros, red = redness of the skin caused by dilatation and congestion of the capillaries, often a sign of inflammation or infection) suggests gout, particularly if it involves the first metatarsophalangeal joint (big toe) at some point. (This joint is affected in 90% of cases and is the first joint affected in 70%.) The presence of tophi (deposits of uric acid) support the diagnosis. Previous evidence of monosodium urate crystals from a joint aspirate (during or between attacks) would be the gold standard. A concentration of serum uric acid (SUA) of 380 µmol/l at least one month after an acute attack or 330 µmol/l during an attack makes gout an unlikely diagnosis.

Causes - Look for risk factors (see below).

Complications - These might include renal stones, nephropathy, or tophi.

Consider - associated metabolic syndrome may be present.

Risk factors for gout

Common risk factors

• Increasing age
• Male sex (less marked with age)
• Consumption of beer or spirits
• Drugs: loop or thiazide diuretics, low dose aspirin (including 75 mg), ciclosporin, tacrolimus, ethambutol, pyrazinomide, nicotinic acid
• Renal impairment
• Obesity
• Hypertension
• Excessive intake of purine rich foods (kidney, meat extract, fish, game, and poultry)

Other risk factors

• Psoriasis

• Myeloproliferative disorders (malignant diseases of certain bone marrow cells including those that give rise to the red blood cells, the granulocytes and the platelets - eg myelophthisic anaemia and erythroblastic leukemia)

• Administration of cytotoxic drugs (tumour lysis syndrome)
• Inherited enzyme deficiencies
• Lead poisoning (consider occupational exposure if there are no other risk factors)

What you should do

During the consultation (pay attention to differential diagnosis, guys)

• Inspect his joints, which typically are normal between attacks, and look for tophi.
• Measure his body mass index, waist circumference,and fasting glucose and lipid concentrations (to check for presence of metabolic syndrome).
• Calculate and manage his Framingham or cardiovascular risk score.
• Test his blood for SUA and renal function.
• Refer him for radiography only if you are unsure of the diagnosis.
• · Explain that gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals in the joint, and give him printed information such as that provided by Patient UK at www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23068747. This is important for successful lifestyle modification.

Reducing the risk of further attacks

• Advise him to lose weight. Dieting and exercise may reduce his serum urate concentration by around 100 µmol/l and will lessen his risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

• He should drink 2 l of fluid a day (especially if he has a history of renal stones). Restricting purine rich foods is difficult and usually less effective than weight loss where this is appropriate; dietary advice is available from the UK Gout Society (www.ukgoutsociety.org).

• Advise him to reduce his alcohol intake. He should avoid beer (rich in purine) and, ideally, spirits. Wine is not a major risk factor.

Drug treatment & Ongoing care

I have left this section out - it is relevant to MDs only!

OTHER USEFUL DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS:-

Increase:

• Frozen or fresh cherry juice or strawberry juice is excellent. Cherries and strawberries neutralise uric acid, so eat lots of them.

• Consume plenty of green leafy vegetable and fruit juices - fluid promotes excretion of uric acid.

• Consume watercress, organic apples, carrots, leeks, cucumber & parsley - they help to clear out uric acid.

• Consume low fat bio-yoghurt daily or supplement with beneficial bacteria like Bioacidophillus, which reduce uric acid.

• Take probiotics - start with REPLETE (BioCare) and continue with 2 Bioacidophilus capsules daily, for 3 months.

Further Reading:

Hyon K Choi and Gary Curhan (2008) Soft drinks, fructose consumption, and the risk of gout in men: prospective cohort study British Medical Journal 336: 309-312. (online) http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/336/7639/309

MS and CFS/ME LECTURES

http://www.direct-ms.org/presentation-prevention/hiband/index.html

The above lecture link was emailed to me by our graduate Shelly Davies (it is nice to know that our graduates still feel a part of the college and contribute to it).

For some of you this lecture may be only a revision and for some of you this may be an interesting new topic. MS is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that can vary from being relatively benign to disabling and devastating. I have seen people’s lives in ruins because of this condition. However, if diagnosed early, and intervention is taken, you, as nutritional therapists, in conjunction with orthodox medicine, can make a huge difference. You may not cure it, but you may slow down the progression of the diseases and improve your clients’ quality of life. Nutrition is a powerful tool - that ‘s why we teach you how to use it.

To read further on the subject you can also follow the link for National MS society, below:-

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOM_GEN_homepage

Level 2 student, Lucy Etherton, has emailed us the following:-

Hi folks

There has recently been a series on ME / CFS on radio 4 (post NICE issuing guidelines on it) - have attached links below - the last link to the radio 4 listen back or transcripts on the radio series. Quite interesting.

http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG53QuickRefGuide.pdf

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=byID&o=11824

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/me_series.shtml

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEKEND

Nothing too heavy............

Apparently, when you are angry with someone, it helps to sit down and think about the problem.....

GENETICALLY MODIFIED MOUSE OR VITAMINS & MINERALS TO TREAT COMMON COLD AND ASTHMA?

The mouse that caught a cold....and may help us find a curve

By Steve Connor, Science Editor
Monday, 4 February 2008

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/the-mouse-that-caught-a-cold-and-may-help-us-find-a-cure-777668.html

BREDA'S COMMENTS IN GREEN

Please do not take me wrong. I am great supporter of science and research. BUT, I am a great believer in natural remedies; I guess that’s why I am a nutritionist.

They announced yesterday that they had been able to pass on the virus to a special strain of genetically modified mice – the first time a non-primate has caught a cold.

Until now, only humans and chimpanzees were known to be susceptible to the virus that results in the common cold. This is one of the reasons why research into possible cures has been so slow, according to Professor Sebastian Johnston, a virologist at Imperial College London who led the mouse research. Being able to infect laboratory mice with rhinoviruses - the main group of common cold viruses - means scientists can now investigate how the virus infects an animal other than a human being, which could speed up the rate at which new drugs are developed, Professor Johnston said.

About three quarters of people with common colds, which are not to be confused with influenza, are infected with one of the more than 100 rhinoviruses. Most people shrug off colds within a few days but in some people with respiratory problems – such as asthma – a cold can be fatal. That’s where vitamin A comes in! As reported by Wintergerst et al (2007), ‘Vitamin A deficiency impairs both innate immunity (mucosal epithelial regeneration) and adaptive immune response to infection resulting in an impaired ability to counteract extracellular pathogens’.

Colds can result in babies and small children being admitted to hospital, lead to pneumonia in people with weakened immune systems and can trigger asthma attacks. They can also cause acute attacks of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, sometimes with fatal consequences. Vitamin A is required for regulation of various cell receptors. Data by Sarkar et al (1998) suggest that vitamin A enhances mucosal immunity by facilitating transport of secretory IgA (sIgA) from the basal to top surface of mucosal epithelia, in response to mucosal infections - eg chronic bronchitis. (sIgA is a class of immunoglobulin, that is responsible for local immunity and is found in body secretions such as mucus membranes, saliva, milk and colostrum).

In 1946, the Medical Research Council set up the Common Cold Unit in Wiltshire where 30 human volunteers at a time were infected with cold viruses to study how their bodies responded to the infection over a period of about 10 days. The unit was closed in 1989 after failing to find a cure.

Professor Johnston said: "Until now, it has not been possible to study rhinovirus infection in small animals. This has been a major obstacle to developing new treatments and there is currently no effective treatment for rhinovirus infection.

"Rhinoviruses are a major cause of the common cold and if you have a small animal model, it speeds up the rate of discovering new potential treatments. And rhinoviruses are not innocent viruses. They kill people in large numbers from acute asthma attacks and chronic bronchitis and emphysema," Professor Johnston added.

The scientists, who were funded by the Medical Research Council, modified the genes of the mice so that the cells lining their respiratory systems had a human version of a "receptor protein" called ICAM-1, which rhinoviruses use to infect the cells.

"We previously found that once inside the mouse cell a rhinovirus reproduces itself as well as it does in human cells. But the virus couldn't infect the mouse cell because the receptor - which acts like a door key - wouldn't let the virus into the cell.

"Now we've modified the mouse receptor so it is more like a human one. This means the virus can infect the cells of these modified mice. We found that mice with the modified receptor were susceptible to infection with a rhinovirus," he said.

The study, which is published in the journal Nature Medicine, will also prove important in the understanding of life-threatening respiratory attacks resulting from acute asthma, bronchitis and other serious lung infections.

Professor Johnston said that the genetically modified strain of mouse he and his colleagues had created could also be used to study what happens during these more dangerous infections when the function of the lung is threatened and people can die as a result.

"If combined with an allergen – such as the protein found in egg white – that could cause an allergic reaction in the lungs, the virus could make the response worse and lead to an 'asthma attack'. True. But as Wintergerst et al (2007) pointed out, deficiency of micro-nutrients can lead to an imbalance between Th1 and Th2 immune response. Nutrients such as vitamin A, C, E, D, B6, folic acid, B12, selenium, zinc, copper and iron, support a Th1 cytokine-mediated immune response and sufficient production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This maintains an effective immune response and avoids a shift to Th2 antibody based response, which involves the release of powerful mediators such as histamine, which is associated with allergic responses such as asthma.

"These mouse models should provide a major boost to research efforts to develop new treatments for the common cold, as well as for more potentially fatal illnesses such as acute attacks of asthma and of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," he said.

The research was funded by the Medical Research Council and the charity Asthma UK.

The chief executive of the Medical Research Council, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, said: "This important and fundamental discovery will enable us to understand the effects rhinoviruses and common colds have on our health.

"It will open up new paths to finding treatments which have been delayed for many years and provides us with the opportunities for further breakthroughs in the future."

Leanne Male, assistant director of research at Asthma UK, said: ''Ninety per cent of people with asthma tell us that colds and flu trigger their asthma symptoms but as yet there is no specific treatment for virally induced asthma attacks and steroid treatments are only partially effective against them.

"We welcome this latest advancement as it will lead to a greater understanding of viral infections and their link with asthma and may help the development of a suitable treatment for virus-induced asthma attacks, thus greatly improving the lives of the 5.2 million people with the condition in the UK."

References:

Sarkar J, Gangopadhyay NN, Moldoveanu Z, Mestecky J, Stephensen CB. (1998) Vitamin A is required for regulation of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) expression by interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma in a human intestinal epithelial cell line. The Journal of nutrition Jul;128(7):1063-9

Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH. (2007) Contribution of selected vitamins and trace elements to immune function. Annals of nutrition & metabolism 51(4):301-23.

TOO MUCH SALT IN CHILDREN'S FOODS

Poor eating habits vs good eating habits

A killer on the shelves: the shocking truth about children's food

By Martin Hickman
Published in The Independent on Monday, 28 January 2008

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/a-killer-on-the-shelves-the-shocking-truth-about-childrens-food-774855.html

BREDA'S COMMENTS IN GREEN

Even supermarket staples can contain terrifying levels of harmful additives - and research published today highlights the cost to the health of our nation's children.

Baked beans and beef-burgers; sausages and cereals; pizzas and pita breads are among the most innocuous sounding items we might throw into a supermarket trolley: lunchbox staples and dinner-time essentials that many parents rely upon to keep their offspring happy and their wallets not entirely depleted.

But these foods have a hidden catch, an ingredient whose danger - despite being well-documented by health experts - is still not recognised by the average consumer. Although small amounts of this mineral are essential to life, we take so much that it has become an insidious killer, responsible for more deaths than wars, traffic accidents or illegal drugs. And yet it is kept in kitchens across the country - next to the pepper.

Salt, the secret killer of processed food, is everywhere. We eat two-thirds more of it than we should. Every time we tuck into a sandwich, or a packet of crisps -sometimes even cheese - there is a good chance we are raising our blood pressure.

Worryingly for parents, a new survey out today shows that the processed foods popular with children are loaded with the stuff. It shows that young children eating half a tin of baked beans and two sausages would exceed their recommended salt intake for a whole day in just a single sitting. I am not surprised. Salt is a natural preservative and it adds flavor to foods. Most kids love salty foods. Due to poor dietary habits, and consequent zinc deficiency, they crave saltier foods; low salt diets will not satisfy their palettes.

According to campaigners, the high level of salt in the British diet kills 35,000 people a year. About 70,000 strokes and heart attacks annually are caused by excess sodium consumption; half end in death. That means the death toll from salt is 10 times more than the 3,172 road deaths in 2006, and the 1,608 deaths from illegal drugs in 2005.

The saltiness of popular grocery items has been uncovered by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) which previously exposed the hidden quantities in fast food.

Researchers checked 73 goods made by the likes of Tesco, Heinz and Dairylea and found dozens of salty products, with up to 4.3 grams per 100g, despite the Food Standards Agency's warning that 1.5g salt per 100g is "high" for adults.

So why is our diet so salty, and what is being done about it?

Many people sprinkle salt into food in the pan or the plate at home. But three-quarters of the salt we consume comes from processed food, where it is used to mask cheap ingredients and enhance weak flavours. The chief victims of this technique are those most likely to tuck into cheap and cheerful meals on a regular basis - children. The answer is less processed foods and more home-coking!

With encouragement from the FSA, manufacturers have been reducing the amount of salt in food for the past 10 years. According to the industry, in that time salt in breakfast cereals has been cut by 38 per cent, in cakes by between 16 and 50 per cent and in bread and crisps by 25 per cent. But we are still eating dangerously high amounts. The average adult consumption is about two teaspoons, or 10g a day - two-thirds more than the FSA's recommended maximum of 6g.

Cash found that a child sitting down to half a tin of Morrison's baked beans and two Tesco sausages would eat 4.8g of salt in one meal.

A six-year-old scoffing some Bachelors chicken noodles would consume 135 per cent of his 3g daily maximum.

Kellogg's Rice Crispies and Dairylea ham and cheese crackers had 1.6g and 1.8g of salt per 100g, enough to earn them a red light under the FSA's traffic light warning system for unhealthy food.

But parents would not know at a glance because most of the big food manufacturers including Dairylea - whose "Lunchables" range is aimed at children - do not put the voluntary labels on their packs. Instead, they use the Guideline Daily Amount percentage system, despite evidence that shoppers find colour-coded traffic lights easier to understand. That’s exactly what I’ve been saying all along.

According to the British Heart Foundation, this makes it harder for parents to work out which products are high in salt. And many manufacturers list sodium rather than salt. Sodium amounts have to be multiplied by 2.5 to get the figure for salt.

As a result, many parents are confused about which foods are the saltiest, according to a poll by the website Netmum.

Professor Graham MacGregor, Cash's chairman and professor of cardiovascular medicine at St George's Hospital in London, urged manufacturers to step up their efforts to take salt out of food. "Anything that lowers blood pressure in childhood is likely to translate into lower levels of blood pressure in adult life, with reduced risk of developing heart disease and stroke," he said.

"And it's not just heart attacks and strokes that are caused by a high-salt diet. Too much salt is also linked with stomach cancer and osteoporosis and can aggravate the symptoms of asthma.

"If they really cannot reduce the salt content in food eaten by children to reasonable levels, perhaps they should consider ceasing production."

The British food and drink industry is keen to show that it is acting responsibly. An analysis of 100,000 products for the Food and Drink Federation by market research firm TNS Worldpanel showed that, in the past 12 months, 2,000 tons of salt had been removed from crisps, breakfast cereals, bread, home cooking products, and canned goods. Peter East, a director of TNS Worldpanel, said the average consumer purchased 0.3 per cent less salt in 2007. That is encouraging, but clearly not enough.

But the Salt Association, which represents the salt industry, fiercely disputed any suggestion that high salt consumption causes heart problems. Describing Cash's claims as "shoddy", the association said: "Any correlations between food intake and health are simply statistical associations and not evidence of causation." There is plenty of research to support health problems associated with excess salt. One just needs to read it.

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