Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Reducing Salt Consumption Tops the U.S. Health Agenda

~ LoSalt® Provides Health Benefits, Retains Flavor ~

GLASGOW, Scotland, Nov. 5, 2013 – For years, health officials have advised consumers to “pass on the salt” in order to lower their blood pressure to help prevent heart disease and stroke.  But for many people, that advice is not so easy to follow

While the body needs salt (sodium chloride) to help maintain the balance of fluids and deliver minerals to help it function, we are all eating too much of it.  People like the taste of salt and its use is often habitual.  We all know we should reduce what we use; however, when it comes to salt, taste usually trumps health

The food industry is now joining forces with health officials in the campaign to help reduce salt consumption, a high priority on the U.S. health agenda.  No less a political luminary than Michael Bloomberg is leading the charge for New Yorkers, and we all know Michelle Obama has made healthy eating a top priority.

“The world’s population is consuming more sodium than is required,” said Caroline Klinge, Technical Sales and Marketing Manager for Klinge Foods Ltd, which produces LoSalt®, a reduced sodium salt.  “It’s a fact that the more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be.”

But how much salt is too much salt? The American Heart Association (AHA) reports that nine out of ten Americans consume too much sodium.  On average, adults in the U.S. consume  more than 3,400 mg of sodium a day, significantly above the 2,400 mg. a day limit recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).  The problem of excessive salt intake is not just confined to adults. According to the AHA, 97 percent of children eat too much salt, resulting in a predisposition to high blood pressure

Called the “silent killer,” high blood pressure is the leading risk for global mortality, accounting for seven million deaths annually according to the Consensus Action for Salt and Health (CASH). This figure is higher than deaths associated with tobacco use in the Western world, they report. High blood pressure is responsible for 62 percent of all strokes and 49 percent of all heart diseases annually in the developed world says the World Health Association. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention contends that one third of American adults have high blood pressure, and many of those 67 million are unaware of it.

Reducing Sodium, Retaining Flavor

“It is important for consumers to know their salt,” Klinge said. ”Table, sea and rock salt are all 100 percent sodium chloride. The challenge was to develop a product that has less sodium, but still tastes and acts like salt.”             
                                                         
Launched in 1982 and now the U.K.’s leading healthy, low-sodium salt sold worldwide and in more than 4,500 U.S. stores, LoSalt is a natural product, simply a blend of two natural mineral salts – sodium chloride and potassium chloride.  With 66 percent less sodium, it looks and tastes just like regular salt, making it ideal for seasoning food on the table and in all cooking. It is not chemically engineered and it does not use flavor enhancers. There is no unpleasant aftertaste often associated with salt substitutes and alternatives.

“We have determined that LoSalt provides the greatest reduction in sodium without compromising flavor,” Klinge added.  “The reduction in sodium does not mean that consumers will compensate by using more.  If a recipe calls for 1 tsp. of salt, use 1 tsp. of LoSalt.”

LoSalt provides the highest sodium reduction than any of its competitors as well as a superior taste.  It is the only widely available Kosher (Parev/Passover) certified salt alternative.  It is also Halal suitable and allergen-free. The company plans to introduce single serve sachet packets that will be distributed to restaurants, hotels, hospitals, nursing homes and deli counters for people wishing to season their food while eating out.

Klinge advises consumers to monitor their salt intake. “Read labels,” she said. “According to recent studies, more than 75 percent of our sodium intake comes from processed foods.  And, think twice before you ask someone to ‘pass the salt.’”
LoSalt® is the U.K.’s leading healthy, low-sodium alternative to salt sold worldwide and in more than 4,500 stores in the U.S., including national chains such as Kroger, Whole Foods Market and Safeway as well as natural food stores and independents.  LoSalt has 66 percent less sodium that regular table, sea and rock salts, but tastes just like regular salt.  A great source of potassium, LoSalt is a natural product.  It is a product of Klinge Foods Ltd., based in East Kilbride, Scotland just south of Glasgow.  For more information, please visit their website http://www.losalt.com/, become a fan at https://www.facebook.com/losalt and follow them at https://twitter.com/LoSalt.



CELEBRITY CHEF DEVIN ALEXANDER OFFERS ADVICE
TO CUT BACK SALT INTAKE AND KEEP THE FLAVOR
~ How to Have Your Salt and Eat It Too ~

GLASGOW, Scotland, Oct. 29, 2013 – Healthy eating expert and celebrity chef Devin Alexander, who rose to fame as NBC’s “The Biggest Loser Chef” and has since become a New York Times bestselling author and host of “America’s Chefs on Tour” on PBS, knows that a pinch of salt adds flavor to the dishes we  prepare.  But she also knows that too much salt in our diets can lead to high blood pressure, responsible for 62 percent of all strokes and 49 percent of all heart disease annually in the developed world, according to the World Health Organization. 
The author of eight cookbooks, Devin shares her unique approach to healthy cooking and her motivational personal story on more weight loss and fitness programs than any other food expert or nutritionist in America.  Having maintained her 70-pound weight loss for over 16 years, she lives and eats her message: you don’t have to deprive yourself to be fit and healthy.

Now, Devin is tackling the problem of too much salt in our diets. A recent survey of 1,000 American adults conducted by Ebiquity, a leading research firm, on behalf of Klinge Foods Ltd. showed that more than eight-in-ten adults are concerned about their sodium consumption.  Klinge Foods produces LoSalt®, a reduced sodium salt that contains 66 percent less sodium chloride than table, sea or rock salt.  They call it the healthiest secret ingredient.

“I’m all about finding ways to eat the foods we love,” said Devin. “LoSalt allows us to have our salt and eat it too.”

With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, salt consumption is on the rise. The survey asked adults age 18 to 65-plus how much salt there is in a typical Thanksgiving dinner.  The average guess was six teaspoons, with gravy and stuffing rated the saltiest dishes on the table.  Few knew that one teaspoon of salt equals 2,400 mg, the recommended daily intake.

To cut the amount of sodium chloride on the holiday menu, Devin has a great recipe for decadently delicious “Rosemary Mashed Potatoes.”  She uses LoSalt for boiling the potatoes and adds just a half-teaspoon of LoSalt in the recipe. With two thirds less sodium chloride in LoSalt, that comes out to roughly 110 mg of sodium per serving, substantially less than typical mashed potatoes.  She kicks up the flavor with rosemary leaves and a pinch of garlic; and reduces the fat with light cream cheese and fat-free milk.

 “I’ve created a career showing people how to eat the foods they love without consequence,” Devin noted. “We’re told to eat no more than 2,400 mg of sodium per day, yet nine out of ten people eat more than that on a daily basis. We consume it because we love it.  LoSalt allows you to indulge with less guilt.”
Caroline Klinge, Marketing Manager for Klinge Foods, explains that LoSalt provides the greatest reduction in sodium without compromising flavor. “If a recipe calls for 1 tsp. of salt, use 1 tsp. of LoSalt,” she said.  “Consumers won’t have to compensate by using more.”

It’s a fact that people actually crave salt and it is one of our key taste receptors.  “If you’re like me and you crave salt, LoSalt provides a great solution – you can kill the craving without killing your progress,” said Devin.

The Klinge Foods survey also indicated that the majority (53 percent) of adults would most prefer to try a reduced sodium salt.  “LoSalt is the best tasting reduced sodium salt I’ve come across…it satisfies the salt craving and I’m really excited to have this in my arsenal of healthy swaps,” Devin concluded.  “I definitely recommend trying it for yourself.”

Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
Recipe by Devin Alexander, copyright 2013.

LoSalt® for boiling potatoes
1 pound red skinned potatoes, washed and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons light cream cheese
2 tablespoons fat free milk
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ teaspoon Lo Salt
Pinch garlic powder

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling water laced with LoSalt until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a hand mixer, in a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and milk on low speed until well-combined.

Drain the cooked potatoes and transfer to the bowl with the cream cheese.  Beat in the potatoes, rosemary, Lo Salt and garlic until combined and leaving some lumps. Serve immediately.

Makes about 2-1/4 cups; 4 servings.

LoSalt® is the U.K.’s leading healthy, reduced sodium salt sold worldwide and in more than 4,500 stores in the U.S., including national chains such as Kroger(Natural Foods Aisle), Whole Foods Market and Safeway as well as leading regional grocery stores, natural food stores and independents.  LoSalt has 66 percent less sodium that regular table, sea and rock salts, but tastes just like regular salt.  A great source of potassium, LoSalt is a natural product.  It is a product of Klinge Foods Ltd., based in East Kilbride, Scotland just south of Glasgow.  For more information, please visit their website http://www.losalt.com/, become a fan at https://www.facebook.com/losalt and follow them at https://twitter.com/LoSalt.


###

      
                                                                                                                                        

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR SALT?
~Klinge Foods Commissions Survey on Health Awareness and Habits~

GLASGOW, Scotland, Oct. 29, 2013 – With high blood pressure identified as the number one killer by the American Heart Association, how concerned are Americans about their salt intake?  To answer this important health question, Klinge Foods, Ltd., producers of LoSalt®, commissioned an independent survey of 1,000 adults to gain insight into their salt consumption on a daily basis and how that relates to their health. LoSalt is a reduced sodium salt that contains 66 percent less sodium chloride than conventional table, sea or rock salt. 
The online national survey was conducted in October 2013 by Ebiquity, a leading market research firm, and included adults ages 18 to 65-plus.

“We wanted to find out if consumers are aware of the health risks associated with high intake of sodium chloride and whether they are taking steps to reduce the amount of salt in their diets,” said Caroline Klinge, Marketing Manager for the company. “According to the American Heart Association, nine out of ten Americans eat too much salt, and the more salt you eat the higher your blood pressure is likely to be.”

“The survey showed that most adults were aware of the fact that high intake of sodium chloride is linked to high blood pressure, increasing the risk for strokes and heart disease.” Klinge said.  “The research further revealed that more than 80 percent of adults were concerned about their intake of sodium; but most of those surveyed were not concerned about it on a daily basis.” 

Only 36 percent were concerned about it daily and more than half (54 percent) said they were concerned about it only occasionally or rarely. “Evidently, there is a concern about salt, but it is not on the forefront of people’s minds,” advised Klinge. 

Those in the 20 to 39 age group reported the least concern about and knowledge of salt intake. “Concern about the health risks associated with salt clearly increases with age, despite the fact that the American Heart Association states that 97 percent of children eat too much salt, resulting in a predisposition to high blood pressure,” Klinge noted.

“The survey indicated that people were more concerned about sugar and fat in their diets than they were about salt,” she continued. “In a similar vein, respondents said they were more concerned about their weight (88 percent) and cholesterol (81 percent) – both are associated with eating sugar and fat. They were least concerned about blood pressure (72 percent) – which is related to high salt intake.”


Digging deeper, the survey looked into how much salt do people consider to be too much salt?  “We discovered that the majority of people in all age categories were unsure of the right answer,” Klinge said. Only 41 percent knew that the recommended daily sodium intake is less that 2,400 mg according to the Dietary Guidelines established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).  

With the holidays approaching, the survey also asked respondents how much salt there is in a typical Thanksgiving dinner. “Most people didn’t know,” Klinge said. “Responses varied between six and seven teaspoons with gravy and stuffing rated the saltiest dishes on the table. The majority were unaware that six teaspoons of salt is well above the 2,400 mg recommended daily intake – equal to only one teaspoon of salt. They were also unaware that while the stuffing is usually by far the saltiest part of the meal, that sweet pumpkin pie also contains a lot of salt.”

Even more significantly, a majority (54 percent) of this population were only occasionally or rarely aware of the amount of salt they consume on a daily basis.  “Perhaps this is due to the fact that much of the salt we eat is hidden in processed and prepared foods,” Klinge noted.

“With awareness of health risks increasing, we discovered that a majority of those surveyed are taking steps to reduce the amount of salt in their diets,” she said. In all age groups, slightly more than half are using more herbs and spices and less salt. Only 20 percent said they are eliminating salt entirely and an equal number said they switched to a reduced salt alternative.

Switching to sea salt ranked second as a way to decrease intake of sodium chloride. “Almost 60 percent of all respondents believe that sea salt has less sodium chloride than regular table salt. “Not true,” Klinge said. “Table, sea, kosher and rock salt all have 100 percent sodium chloride, strongly linked as causing high blood pressure.”
Klinge added that the results of the survey revealed important misconceptions about salt.  “While most people are concerned about high salt intake, they were generally unaware of the amount of sodium chloride they consume on a daily basis,” she said. “Health care professionals, along with the food industry, need to motivate and to educate people about how to reduce sodium chloride in their diets.”


About LoSalt®
LoSalt® is the U.K.’s leading healthy, reduced sodium salt sold worldwide and in more than 4,500 stores in the U.S., including national chains such as Kroger (Natural Foods Aisle), Whole Foods Market and Safeway as well as leading regional grocery stores, natural food stores and independents.  LoSalt has 66 percent less sodium that regular table, sea and rock salts, but tastes just like regular salt.  A great source of potassium, LoSalt is a natural product.  It is a product of Klinge Foods Ltd., based in East Kilbride, Scotland just south of Glasgow.  For more information, please visit their website http://www.losalt.com/, become a fan at https://www.facebook.com/losalt and follow them at https://twitter.com/LoSalt.

About Ebiquity Plc
Ebiquity provides independent data-driven insights to global media, marketing and communications professionals to continuously improve clients' business performance.   This includes specialized services in research supporting creative testing, brand/advertising tracking, corporate reputation, brand image, research for public relations and thought leadership, global media/social media content analysis, and communications research.  Learn more at Ebiquity.com
###


No comments:

Post a Comment