One of Canada's largest pizza chains announced this week it has moved to lower sodium levels in some menu items by creating a new crust made with less salt.
Pizza Pizza Ltd. has introduced a whole-wheat multigrain crust that has 25 per cent less sodium than the chain's original “classic” crust, which gives salt-conscious consumers a new choice to help control their intake.
It's the latest move in a growing trend toward reduced or low sodium items offered by restaurants or in grocery stores as companies respond to growing consumer awareness about the dangers of excessive salt consumption.
But consumers may want to take Pizza Pizza's announcement with a grain of salt.
While the new crust does help bring sodium levels down, most menu items still contain high levels of salt. For instance, a walk-in slice of the chain's garden veggie pizza (358-gram serving) made with the new whole-wheat multigrain crust contains 1,230 milligrams of sodium. The recommended daily intake of sodium for people aged 9 to 50 is 1,500 milligrams, and the upper tolerable limit, beyond which the chance of health risks is increased, is 2,300 milligrams.
It's a trend that can be seen throughout the menu. A walk-in slice of classic pepperoni pizza (286-gram serving) contains 1,630 milligrams of sodium, while a slice of meat supreme pizza (361-gram serving) has 2,340 milligrams. A medium slice of classic pepperoni (96-gram serving) contains 550 milligrams of sodium, and a medium slice of garden veggie (111-gram serving) contains 390 milligrams of sodium.
Pizza Pizza declined an interview request yesterday. The company released an updated nutrition guide, but did not provide an old nutrition guide to compare changes in sodium levels.
But its competitors don't fare much better.
One slice of a medium pepperoni lover's pan pizza from Pizza Hut (101-gram serving) contains 730 milligrams of sodium. One slice of a large pepperoni pizza (111-gram serving) from Domino's Pizza with classic hand-tossed crust has 580 milligrams of sodium. A slice of a 16-inch round pepperoni pizza (102-gram serving) from Little Caesars contains 450 milligrams of sodium.
Canadians consume about 3,100 milligrams of sodium a day on average, more than double the recommended daily intake for people aged 9 to 50. About 80 per cent of the sodium in Canadian diets comes from packaged and processed food. While that includes pizza and other types of fast food, seemingly innocuous items such as whole grain breads, cereal and fat-free salad dressings contain high amounts of salt.
Even though many of Pizza Pizza's menu items are still high in salt, it's important to recognize when companies start to make changes toward healthier options, said Kevin Willis, director of partnerships at the Canadian Stroke Network and member of the federal task force that's looking at ways to address the country's sodium problem.
“I think any step to reduce sodium is a step in the right direction,” Dr. Willis said. “I really hope it will encourage other brands to respond.”
Dr. Willis, like many experts aware of the effects of sodium on health, advocates a slow and progressive reduction of sodium by restaurants and food manufacturers.
