Portugal entre os primeiros a ter uma lei que limita sal no pão

in Jornal Público, 12 de Agosto 2010, por Alexandra Campos
 
"Governo não apresentou proposta para reduzir sal noutros alimentos, como previa a lei. Tinha seis meses para o fazer, mas já passou um ano


Portugal é, a partir de hoje, o primeiro país do mundo ocidental a ter uma lei que impõe limites ao teor de sal no pão. Produzir e vender pão com mais de 1,4 gramas de sal (por 100 gramas de produto final ou 0,55 gramas de sódio) passa a poder ser punido com coimas até cinco mil euros, estipula a legislação que os representantes dos panificadores desvalorizam, garantindo que já está a ser cumprida na maior parte dos casos. De fora ficam só os pães com "nomes protegidos", como a broa de Avintes e o pão de Favaios.

Justifica-se a opção, inédita, de impor restrições por via legislativa? Para a comunidade científica, sim. Por um lado, porque "somos o país da Europa com as maiores taxas de ingestão de sal" - 11,9 gramas por dia, quando a Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) recomenda um máximo de 5 - e, por outro, por sermos líderes "nas taxas de acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) e cancro do estômago", defende o médico e professor da Faculdade de Medicina do Porto Jorge Polónia - que em 2006 começou a desbravar o caminho ao medir pela primeira vez de uma forma rigorosa o consumo diário de sal numa amostra superior a quatro centenas de pessoas. Com uma equipa da Universidade Fernando Pessoa, no ano seguinte avaliou o teor de sal em 40 tipos de pão. A conclusão não foi animadora: o pão normal (não integral) tinha entre 19 a 21 gramas de sal por cada quilograma, quase o dobro do encontrado nos pães britânicos e suíços analisados (13 gramas).

A lei é de tal forma "pioneira" que os norte-americanos estão agora a debater a possibilidade de introduzir limites do teor de sal por via legislativa, justifica Jorge Polónia. "Estamos a servir de exemplo", orgulha-se Luís Martins, cardiologista e ex-presidente da Sociedade Portuguesa de Hipertensão, que colaborou nestes estudos.

Dirigentes de associações de panificadores contrapõem que o diploma da Assembleia da República "não faz sentido", até porque grande parte das padarias já produzem pão com teores de sal inferiores ao máximo previsto nesta lei. "Fomos reduzindo progressivamente, antes mesmo de se falar em legislação", afirma Carlos Alberto Santos, da Associação do Comércio e da Indústria de Panificação, Pastelaria e Similares (ACIP). "O nosso pão tem em média apenas 10 a 11 gramas de sal (por quilograma)", assegura o industrial, lamentando que os deputados não se tenham "preocupado em verificar no terreno" os valores "reais".

Jorge Polónia e Luís Martins acham "óptimo" que assim seja, e aproveitam para aplaudir o "evidente impacto" do anúncio da lei, mas continuam com dúvidas, até porque em 2009 repetiram as análises a algumas amostras de pão e a média obtida era ainda superior a 15 gramas.

Lei é "um alerta"
Pedro Graça, coordenador da Plataforma contra a Obesidade, da Direcção-Geral da Saúde, acredita que actualmente os produtores já estarão a seguir os valores recomendados. Mas só quando a lei começar a ser fiscalizada - e essa competência está nas mãos da Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica (ASAE) - é que se poderá perceber com rigor se o cumprimento é a regra.

Os planos da ASAE são simples: primeiro, será feita uma incursão no terreno para se ter uma ideia da situação, colhendo amostras sobretudo nos grandes produtores. "Se os resultados forem maus, insistimos na fiscalização; se não, faremos um controlo aleatório", concretiza João Ribeiro, da ASAE.

São os próprios autores da lei que admitem que o objectivo era ir mais longe. A ideia era começar pelo pão e avançar de seguida para outros alimentos. Aliás, a lei é taxativa a este propósito: especifica claramente que "o Governo apresenta à Assembleia da República um programa de intervenção destinado à redução do teor de sal noutros alimentos" no prazo de seis meses. O prazo mais do que expirou e não foi apresentada qualquer proposta, entretanto. Caricaturando, o Governo desde há meio ano que não cumpre a lei.

"Este diploma é uma gota no oceano. Há muito a fazer para normalizar os teores de sal nos alimentos", admite Joaquim Couto, ex-deputado socialista e médico, um dos autores do projecto de lei, que é o primeiro a conceder que não se avançou mais "por uma questão de protecção dos nossos produtores e comércio".

"A lei é positiva por ser um alerta, mas não chega. Não se pode ficar por aqui", corrobora a presidente da Associação Portuguesa de Nutricionistas, Alexandra Bento, que lembra que "medidas avulsas em saúde pública não surtem efeito".

Outros países têm conseguido resultados importantes com recomendações e campanhas, como a Inglaterra e a Finlândia. Os britânicos "conseguiram, em dez anos, reduzir a ingestão diária de sal de 9,5 para 8,6 gramas e com isso obtiveram um resultado estimado de menos seis mil mortes por ano", descreve Jorge Polónia. Não se poderia fazer o mesmo em Portugal? O problema é que para campanhas preventivas não há dinheiro do Estado, lamenta. "Temos um Ministério da Doença, não da Saúde.""


Fonte:
http://jornal.publico.pt/noticia/12-08-2010/portugal-entre--os-primeiros--a-ter-uma-lei-que--limita-sal-no-pao-20006424.htm

Mozzarella and Red Pepper Salad


" Ingredients (Serves 4)• 4 large red peppers
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• a few fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• a few tomatoes, halved
• 2 fresh buffalo mozzarella
• a few capers (optional)
• bread and mixed salad leaves or baby spinach, to serve For the salad dressing
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• a pinch of crushed chillies or hot cayenne pepper
• a good squeeze of lemon juice
• 150ml olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1) Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/ 180°C/350°F.
2) Place the peppers on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, until soft and slightly charred.
3) Put in a bowl, cover with cling film and, when cool, peel off the skins, reserving any juices.
4) Remove and discard the seeds and core, then tear the peppers into strips, place them in a large bowl and pour over any reserved juices.
5) Mix in the sliced garlic, basil and seasoning, then leave at room temperature for at least an hour or overnight, if possible, to marinate.
6) To make the dressing, mash the anchovy fillets with the garlic and chillies or cayenne, then whisk in the lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper, to taste.
7) To serve, put the peppers and tomatoes on a large platter or four dinner plates. Tear the mozzarella into rough pieces, then sprinkle the salad with capers, if using, and the dressing. Add a few leaves, if you like, and serve with crusty bread.
Words by Janet Smith. Photograph by James Murphy, Sunday 30 April 2006"

Fonte e imagem:

The Big Mushroom Salad

Mushroom Salad

"Ingredients (Serves 4)
• 1kg mixed mushrooms (Judas' ear, puffball, honey fungus, agarics, oysters, horn of plenty, etc), cleaned weight
• 1.5l water
• 55g salt
• 500ml white wine vinegar
• 8tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 slices fresh red chilli
• 1tbsp each finely chopped parsley and coriander
• 1 lemon • salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1) Any kind of mushrooms can go into this salad so be inventive.
2) Clean them as appropriate, and cut to roughly the same size.
3) Bring the water to the boil and add the salt and the vinegar.
4) Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well and cool.
5) In a pan, heat the oil, and fry the garlic and chilli to soften.
6) Add the mushrooms, heat through, and taste for seasonings.
7) Stir in the herbs and serve immediately, sprinkled with lemon juice.
Words by Antonio Carlucccio, Thursday 26 October 2006"

Fonte e imagem:

Roasted Carrot, Spinach and Feta Salad

"Packed with the powerful antioxidant beta-carotene, carrots make a great snack. 

Try this roasted carrot, spinach and feta for a delicious, yet healthy lunch. And the best bit? It counts as two of your 5-a-day, contains over a third of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, and comes in at just 280 calories. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
450g/1lb carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 red onion, cut into wedges
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into wedges
60ml/4tbsp olive oil
2 whole cloves garlic
45ml/3tbsp pumpkin seeds
5ml/1tsp cumin seeds
juice half a lemon
1 tsp runny honey
1 (100g) bag baby spinach leaves
100g/4oz feta cheese crumbled
30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/Fan 200C/Gas Mark 7. Place the carrots, onion, pepper and half the oil in a large roasting tin. Season well. Toss together until everything is coated in oil. Roast for 15 mins. Stir in the seeds and garlic and roast for a further 10 mins until the carrots are just tender but still have a bit of bite.
2. Remove the vegetables from the oven and remove the garlic cloves. On a chopping board, slip the garlic from the papery skin and using the blade of a knife work it to a smooth paste. Put the garlic paste in a small bowl with the remaining oil, lemon juice and honey and whisk together with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Empty the spinach leaves into a large serving bowl, then add the roasted vegetables, feta cheese, chopped mint and pour over the dressing. Toss lightly together until mixed."

Fonte e imagem:
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/lifestyle/recipes/453410/roasted-carrot-spinach-and-feta-salad.html

5 a day - the easy way

Kellie Collins

"We all know by now that we should be eating more fruit and vegetables. From newspapers and magazines, leaflets in supermarkets and even labels on the food we buy, we are constantly encouraged to eat more of the green stuff. And that’s no bad thing.

Fruit and vegetables are power-houses of nutrition. Packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and all kinds of phyto-nutrients, fibre and water, diets rich in fruit and veg are associated with better health – lower heart attack risk, lower risks of some cancers, decreased obesity, better eye-sight, healthier looking skin – you name it, fruit and veg have a role in it.

But just how many portions of fruit and veg should we be aiming for every day…and what is a portion? If you’ve been getting through 2 cartons of juice and 3 tins of beans every day to increase your fruit and vegetable intake, well done for trying. But a closer look at the Department of Health’s recommendations will help you take a step in the right direction.

The Department of Health recently launched new guidelines on what exactly counts as a portion of fruit and vegetables, after a National Diet and Nutrition Survey revealed that only one in seven adults eat the recommended quantity of greens on a regular basis. Part of the problem is that, while a lot of people are aware of the need to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, there seems to be a bit of confusion over what exactly constitutes a portion.

The 5 a day campaign was initially launched to encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables as the evidence shows that eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day could help prevent up to 20% of deaths from conditions such as heart disease and cancer. That’s a lot of lives saved just by eating more of something.

However, some food manufacturers jumped on the 5 a day bandwagon and began to promote their products as being as healthy and nutritious as fresh fruit or vegetables. Take baked beans, for example.

Beans do count as a vegetable portion and the tomato sauce they come in can also go some way to meeting your 5 a day. In fact, cooked tomatoes provide even more of the anti-oxidant lycopene than fresh tomatoes. But when those beans and cooked tomatoes are accompanied by salt, sugar, fat, Tele-Tubbie shaped pasta and even mini-sausages, the health message begins to get pushed a little to one side.

The Department of Health now insist that companies who make claims like this will have to review their recipes to ensure their processed foods are not high in fat, sugar or salt, if they want to be included in the 5 a day campaign.

So, what exactly counts as a portion of fruit and veg?
Well, the list below should help you out on that one. But to confuse matters, there are some foods that can only count once. Whether you drink a glass of fruit juice or a whole carton of fruit juice, it can only count as one fruit and veg portion per day. Sorry folks, but when fruit and veg are juiced, they lose their fibre so this guideline is in place to ensure we all get enough fibre to keep our bowels happy. If you smoothie your fruit, on the other hand (blend up whole fruit with milk, yoghurt and other yummy things like honey), each fruit portion that goes into your blender counts.

Beans (small, round beans like baked beans, not long thin green ones) and pulses can only count once because they are higher in protein and calories and lower in water than other vegetables. And 100% concentrated puree, such as tomato puree, can also only count as one portion, no matter how much you eat of the stuff.

And to set the record straight, frozen is just as good (sometimes better) than fresh, and tinned veggies are certainly better than none if that’s all you have access to.

Have a look at what constitutes a portion and get yourself down to the greengrocers pronto.

Fruit - aim for at least 2 servings a day.
½ avocado or grapefruit
1 medium apple, banana, orange, fresh peach, large slice of fresh pineapple, tablespoon of raisins, handful of grapes, handful of banana chips (a handful is how much will comfortably fit in the palm of your hand)
2 inch slice of melon, small mandarin-type oranges, rings of canned pineapple, plums, apricots, kiwi fruit, handfuls of raspberries
3 dates
7 slices of canned peach, strawberries
14 cherries

Vegetables - aim for at least 3 servings a day - but the more the merrier
½ pepper
1 cereal bowl of lettuce, medium onion, medium tomato, large parsnip
2 inches of cucumber, spears of broccoli, heaped tablespoons of cooked spinach
3 sticks of celery, heaped tablespoons of sweetcorn, lentils or beans (only once a day), mixed frozen vegetables, peas or carrots
5 spears of asparagus
7 slices of beetroot, cherry tomatoes
8 cauliflower florets, Brussels sprouts

As with everything else, variety is the spice of life. Although not specified in the government guidelines, we would recommend that waist watchers don’t rely on avocado, banana chips and raisins for their 5 a day. Avocado is a relatively high-fat food (okay, it’s good fat, but it’s still fat), banana chips are all too often fried and dried fruit can be coated in oil to keep them shiny and as good as new.

So fill up your plate with greens (and reds, oranges, yellows and purples) and get on target for better health."

Fonte e imagem: