Saturated Fat
Manufacturers pledge to cut saturated fat
The Department of Health has launched a new pledge, as part of the Responsibility Deal, for companies to reduce the amount of saturated fat in their products. Companies that have signed up include Nestle, Aldi, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Subway, Tesco and Unilever.
NHS Choices recommend that the average man should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat a day, while the average woman should eat no more than 20g. Reducing saturated fat intakes is thought to lower total and LDL blood cholesterol which in turn can reduce the risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke. The Department of Health estimate that reducing saturated fat intakes from 12.7% to the recommended levels would prevent approximately 2,600 premature deaths each year.
Katharine Jenner, CEO of Blood Pressure UK said "We want to encourage more companies to reduce the amount of saturated fats they use in processed food; but it is imperative that they do not replace the fat with sugar or salt instead. Manufacturers should consider using the more healthy monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats."
For more details on the Pledge, click here