That pasta dish might be hiding a day's worth of salt. A new UK study found that nearly half of takeaway meals contain more sodium than their menu labels claim, with some single servings packing over 11g of salt — well above the recommended daily limit. Curries, pizzas, and pasta were the worst offenders, while fish and chips surprisingly came out as a lower-salt option.
That takeaway order may be far saltier than you think — and the menu label isn't much help. A study from the University of Reading, published in PLOS One, found that 47% of takeaway meals tested contained more salt than their stated values. Researchers purchased 39 meals from 23 locations across Reading, including both national chains and independent restaurants, and found alarming gaps between what's advertised and what's actually on the plate.
Pasta dishes were the biggest culprits, averaging 7.2g of salt per serving — already above the UK's recommended daily limit of 6g — with one dish clocking in at 11.2g. Curries ranged widely from 2.3g to 9.4g per serving, and meat pizzas had the highest salt concentration at 1.6g per 100g. In a surprising twist, traditional fish and chip shops served some of the lowest-salt meals, since salt is typically added only after cooking and on request.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Menu labels are meant to empower consumers to make healthier choices — but if nearly half are inaccurate, they may be providing false reassurance. With excess salt linked to millions of deaths annually, researchers are calling for stronger oversight of how restaurants report nutritional content.
