A 5 week food-based randomised crossover trial by Cashman K et al assessed the effect of including ‘low salt’ bread as part of a reduced-salt diet on blood pressure, markers of bone metabolism and plasma lipids in adults with elevated blood pressure in Ireland.
97 participants were randomly assigned to either the reduced-salt diet or control diet for 5 weeks, followed by crossover to the alternate for 5 weeks. The reduced-salt diet included the ‘low salt’ bread, which included white and brown pan breads and contained 0.3g salt/100g, compared to usual breads containing 1.2g/100g, no-salt margarine and no added salt luncheon meats if desired.
Change in dietary salt intake was assessed through 24-hour urine. On the reduced-salt diet, salt intake decreased by an average of 1.7g/day (assuming all dietary salt was excreted through urine) and systolic blood pressure was significantly lower (3.3mmHg on average), though no change was observed in diastolic blood pressure.