Pass the salt: Plant-based burgers serving consumers a full day’s worth of sodium in single patty

09/02/2023

Cancer Council Victoria’s LiveLighter® program is warning consumers about the salt content in plant-based burger products, with a new study finding some products contain more than the recommended daily sodium intake in just one patty.

 Analysing 35 plant-based burger products sold at major Australian supermarkets, the Cancer Council Victoria study found the product with the highest sodium content was Wildly Good’s Kale Sweet Potato Burger, containing over 1,000mg of sodium per patty (serve). Wildly Good’s Original Veggie Burger and Yumi’s Classic Veggie Burger rounded out the top three products with the highest sodium content, containing 846mg and 788mg respectively per patty.

The recommended daily sodium intake for Australian adults is 460-920mg to minimise health impacts.[i] Table salt often contains sodium and is the main source of sodium in our diet.

A recent Shape of Australia survey of Australian adults has found that commercial plant-based products are a popular meat-free alternative, with nearly one in three (30.7%) participants saying they eat these products ‘sometimes, often or always.’

LiveLighter® Victoria’s Campaign Manager and Accredited Dietitian, Sherly Li, says that many Australians are unaware of the high salt content in commercial plant-based products.

“Many people choose plant-based products because they are presented to be a healthy non-meat alternative, without realising that some of these products are highly processed and packed with salt.”

“Our bodies need some sodium to function, but we need to be careful about how much we are consuming. Having too much sodium in your diet can increase the risk of several serious illnesses, including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.”

Ms Li says there are many healthy alternatives to commercial plant-based products for those looking to reduce their salt intake.

“Fresh or canned legumes, beans and chickpeas are a great meat-free source of protein and unflavoured tofu is a fantastic way to add substance to your meal without the extra added sodium.”

“There are also a lot of healthy recipes out there to make your own vegetarian burger patties at home, using delicious, natural produce without the added salts and preservatives.”

The LiveLighter® website contains nutritious and meat-free recipes that are low in sodium, fat and sugar to try at your next burger night, including:

• Tasty Tofu Burger (66.3g patty): crumbed, delicious and on the table in less than 15 minutes, this option contains around 168mg of sodium per burger patty.
• Mushroom burger (60g patty): fresh, natural and perfect for the barbecue, this option features a Portobello mushroom (containing 10mg of sodium) instead of a traditional burger patty.

 According to the LiveLighter® website, there are many tried and tested ways to reduce the amount of sodium we consume to improve our diets and look after our health.

These include avoiding ultra-processed foods, using herbs and spices instead of salt or pre-prepared condiments to flavour meals, and opting for ‘reduced salt' or ‘no added salt’ food products when the option is available.

“Make sure to also check the sodium content on packaged products before buying them. Look for the per 100g column in the nutrition information panel on the back of a product and try to go for products with less than 120mg of sodium per 100g of the product,” says Ms Li.

 -ENDS-

About LiveLighter®:

LiveLighter® is a public health education campaign which encourages Australians to lead healthier lives by being more active and making positive changes to what they eat and drink.

livelighter.com.au has plenty of tools, resources and information to help Australians make changes to live a healthier life.

Sodium in plant-based burgers study – best and worst offenders*

Product	Serving/burger patty size	Sodium content (per serve)	Sodium content (per 100g)
Wildly Good Kale Sweet Potato Burgers	125g	1050mg	840mg
Wildly Good Original Veggie urgers	125g	846mg	677mg
Yumi’s Classic Veggie Burger	125g	788mg	630mg
Vegie Delights Classic Not Burger	75g	270mg	360mg
Syndian Lentil & Brown Rice Vegan Burgers	100g	208mg	208mg
Nature’s Kitchen Sweet Potato and Black Bean burger	125g	163mg	130mg

 

Please note: In this study, products were ranked according to their sodium content per single burger patty/serve.

*LiveLighter® recommends looking at several elements of a packaged product’s nutrition label, including sodium, fat, fibre, and sugar, when trying to make healthy choices. Learn more about how to read food labels on the LiveLighter website.

 

[i] Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Sodium (version 1.2) [Internet]. National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), 2017 [updated 2017]. Available from: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/sodium