The heart-friendly supermarket choice

A surprising new study has found home brand supermarket items tend to have a lower salt content. Photo: Getty

When it comes to the best grocery choice, cheaper doesn’t always mean unhealthy.

New research from George Institute for Global Health has revealed that supermarket ‘home brand’ foods often contain less salt than more expensive, branded options.

A study of over 15,000 products from Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and IGA revealed that no-name brands tend to have 17 per cent less salt than big brand rivals.

Researchers found that the salt content was around 27 per cent lower in desserts, 24 per cent in biscuits, 22 per cent in processed meats and 7 per cents in biscuits. The only homebrand product to have a higher salt content was breakfast cereals.

While this study only focused on salt, not the overall nutritional value of products, it is essential to be wary of the hidden salt bombs in our food.

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“Excess salt in food leads to high blood pressure and greatly increased risk of stroke and heart attack,” said Professor Bruce Neal, co-author of the study.

Currently, the World Health Organisation has set a target of reducing salt intake by 30 per cent over the next decade. If you’re looking to cut your salt intake, opt for packaged foods with a sodium level of less than 120mg per 100g or try flavouring food with spices or lemon.

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