0:00:02 > 0:00:05- GLORIA:- There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10And the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12I think they encourage you to buy more than you need,
0:00:12 > 0:00:14and that causes a lot of waste.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18- ANGELA:- Whether you're staying in or going out, you've told us you can
0:00:18 > 0:00:21feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:21 > 0:00:23for what you eat - and what you pay for it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25How do you know that it's half-price?
0:00:25 > 0:00:28So what they've done, they've bumped the price up
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and they've knocked it down.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33JULIA: From claims that don't stack up
0:00:33 > 0:00:35to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food,
0:00:38 > 0:00:42so you can be sure you're getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45Your food. Your money.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55and our special series about food,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58which, today, is all about making sure
0:00:58 > 0:01:02that the things that we eat don't do any of us any harm,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04whether that's through a dangerous allergic reaction,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07a nasty case of food poisoning,
0:01:07 > 0:01:09or even some sort of long-term health problem
0:01:09 > 0:01:12caused by our food or diet.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Because, much as we love good food, when it's bad,
0:01:16 > 0:01:17oh, it really can cause serious problems,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19and how often have we heard that?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Which is why it's very reassuring that there are so many people
0:01:22 > 0:01:26and organisations working really hard to keep us safe and healthy,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29and why, today, we'll be taking an exclusive look
0:01:29 > 0:01:32at some of the vital work that they do on our behalf,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34whether it's the authorities on patrol
0:01:34 > 0:01:36to stop food that could make us ill
0:01:36 > 0:01:40getting to any shops or restaurants, or indeed the food companies
0:01:40 > 0:01:43themselves changing what they make so that it's better for all of us.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Of course, when this kind of work is done properly, you might not
0:01:46 > 0:01:50even realise it's happening, and you shouldn't have to think twice
0:01:50 > 0:01:53about whether the food you buy is safe to eat.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Even so, quite a few of you have written to us
0:01:55 > 0:01:58with concerns about what you're eating, so we're going to be
0:01:58 > 0:02:00answering some of those questions.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04We've take a sneak peek behind some normally closed doors
0:02:04 > 0:02:08to find out just how the food industry keeps us safe.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Coming up - the new laws that mean every restaurant
0:02:11 > 0:02:14and takeaway has to know which of their ingredients could cause
0:02:14 > 0:02:16a deadly allergic reaction.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18So are they getting it right?
0:02:18 > 0:02:20It's very worrying, because we're the last link
0:02:20 > 0:02:22in the chain before that food goes to the customer.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24So, obviously, we've got to be more aware
0:02:24 > 0:02:26than anybody else of what's in that dish.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28And with all that salt added to our foods,
0:02:28 > 0:02:32you've asked why it can't simply be taken out of the recipes.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Well, we find out as one Rip-Off viewer follows these
0:02:36 > 0:02:38sausages on their journey to a healthier taste.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42I don't think you have to compromise on taste
0:02:42 > 0:02:46by reducing salt in food. I think you can have both.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53We've often talked on this programme about how important it is
0:02:53 > 0:02:56to know exactly what is in the food that we buy,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59whether it's from a shop or being served to us in a restaurant.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02But if you're one of the million people in the UK
0:03:02 > 0:03:06with a serious food allergy, then knowing EXACTLY what is in your food
0:03:06 > 0:03:09really does take on a whole new level of importance.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13So a new set of laws to make sure that EVERYONE selling food
0:03:13 > 0:03:14has to tell customers
0:03:14 > 0:03:18if it contains any allergen at all is undoubtedly a good thing.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20But then, with so many products coming from
0:03:20 > 0:03:25so many different suppliers, keeping on top of what's in food,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28for many retailers, is no easy task.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33For Britain's growing number of allergy sufferers
0:03:33 > 0:03:35and their families, it can be bad enough trying to
0:03:35 > 0:03:38get your head around what's listed in the ingredients.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41But working out what's safe to eat gets harder still
0:03:41 > 0:03:45when so much of our food, such as takeaways and meals out,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47doesn't come with a label.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51Penelope Rigg from Brighouse in West Yorkshire is allergic to soya,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and when she's been buying food or eating out,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56she's often found it tricky to get the information
0:03:56 > 0:03:59she needs to avoid a serious allergic reaction.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04The first time it happened was absolutely horrific.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06I was sure I was going to die.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09My mouth was full of tongue
0:04:09 > 0:04:13and I couldn't breathe and I was shaking.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Penelope contacted us, concerned about how difficult it is
0:04:17 > 0:04:21for anyone who, like her, has allergies, to work out which foods
0:04:21 > 0:04:26might contain ingredients that could cause a problem.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I think it would be absolutely wonderful
0:04:28 > 0:04:32if, when you went into a pub or a restaurant,
0:04:32 > 0:04:37the people who served you knew what the ingredients were
0:04:37 > 0:04:40in the things that they were serving you.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45There must be other people in the universe that are allergic to soya.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46I can't be the only one!
0:04:49 > 0:04:53Well, exactly what Penelope had hoped for has now become law.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56New rules have been brought in to make it easier to find out
0:04:56 > 0:04:58what's inside the food you're eating,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00whether you're allergic to soya, nuts, gluten
0:05:00 > 0:05:03or any one of the 14 most common allergens.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08From December 2014, anyone selling food, from canteens to churches,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11is legally required to know whether their dishes
0:05:11 > 0:05:14contain ingredients that might spark an allergic reaction.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18And if any do, they have to be able to tell any customers who ask.
0:05:18 > 0:05:23Repeated failure to do so could mean up to £5,000 in fines.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27Now, for supermarkets and big chains who have larger resources,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29that should be relatively straightforward,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and indeed, when we did some spot checks in a number of restaurant
0:05:32 > 0:05:37chains, staff did correctly pass on all the necessary information.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But will it be so easy for smaller businesses,
0:05:40 > 0:05:45who also now need to be 100% certain of every ingredient they buy?
0:05:45 > 0:05:50I've come to a fast-food outlet at Stokesley in North Yorkshire,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53just to see how it's going to work in practice.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58Janet Bowes and her husband Stuart have been running takeaways,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02including this fish and chip shop, for more than 20 years.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- Hi.- Oh, hello, Angela. - You must be Janet.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06- Hi, I'm Janet, hello.- Hi. - Pleased to meet you.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11'And, with a long queue of hungry punters, I'm mucking in to help.'
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- What can I get you? - Can I get chips, open, please?
0:06:14 > 0:06:16Chips, open, that's one of these, isn't it?
0:06:17 > 0:06:21'Now, there may not be a big list of allergens in those chips,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23'but the new law has forced Janet to scrutinise
0:06:23 > 0:06:26'what's in EVERYTHING that the shop sells, from the fillings
0:06:26 > 0:06:29'in the pies to the batter mix for the fish, and from the
0:06:29 > 0:06:33'contents of the ketchup to the extras in the sausages.'
0:06:33 > 0:06:35That's £2.30, please.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37'But with Janet buying her ingredients from dozens
0:06:37 > 0:06:40'of suppliers who might themselves use a number of different
0:06:40 > 0:06:43'manufacturers, that's quite a task.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45We've got deliveries coming in every day
0:06:45 > 0:06:48and, without checking the ingredients label on every product,
0:06:48 > 0:06:51we don't know whether any of the allergens or the ingredients
0:06:51 > 0:06:55have changed, and the only way at the moment is to check every label.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Do you think your suppliers are as aware as you are?
0:06:58 > 0:07:01No, I don't. Some of them are, some of them, yes, are ahead of us.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03One of our main suppliers has informed us.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Everything I buy from him has come with an allergen list now,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08so I know what allergens are in there.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11But I did ring somebody yesterday and he had no idea.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- Oh, my gosh.- So, it's a scary one.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15We're the last link in the chain before
0:07:15 > 0:07:18that food goes to the customer, so, obviously, we've got to be more aware
0:07:18 > 0:07:20than anybody else of what's in that dish.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25It's obvious that while Janet is desperately keen to abide
0:07:25 > 0:07:29by the new law, keeping on top of EVERY ingredient that she uses
0:07:29 > 0:07:31is going to be a big job.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34To make it easier for her staff to be able to answer questions,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37she's created a book listing the products that they sell
0:07:37 > 0:07:39and what's in them.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42We have a file we keep behind the counter that the staff can see.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43- Allergen info.- Yes.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46And what we've done to try and make it nice and simple for the staff
0:07:46 > 0:07:49is we've listed the items that have allergens in,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52not every item that we have in the fish shop,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and we've highlighted what possible allergen could be in there.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Just talk me through some of them.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00We've got our favourite one, the battered cod.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03No problem with the fish, unless somebody's got an allergy to fish,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06but the allergens on there relate to the batter that it's cooked in.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Yes, cos it may have gluten in it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12It can have gluten, it can have soya, mustard, a little bit of mustard...
0:08:12 > 0:08:13- Is mustard an allergen? - It is, it is, yes.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17There are things in this list that you wouldn't expect, aren't there?
0:08:17 > 0:08:18- Yes, there is, yes.- Yeah.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20Do you think this is a good idea
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and that this particular piece of legislation is actually worthwhile?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26Yes, I think it's good, because it's highlighting something
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and it's making us aware of how serious it is.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33If you do get into trouble, it's the expense if you do it wrong.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Well, it seems like Janet and Stuart have got their work cut out
0:08:36 > 0:08:38to abide by the new laws when you look at all the products
0:08:38 > 0:08:40that they have on offer.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43But let's hope, for the sake of people like Penelope, that they
0:08:43 > 0:08:45and other food retailers get it right.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I will be able to go out, go to somewhere
0:08:50 > 0:08:55and say, "Can you tell me if this particular item contains soya?"
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And they have to know whether it does or not.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03And that will make my life virtually blissful,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08because I haven't been able to do this in the past.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18Of all the health messages we've been bombarded with over
0:09:18 > 0:09:22the years, reducing the amount of salt we eat is one of the clearest.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28which, in the long term, can lead to life-threatening health problems
0:09:28 > 0:09:30like heart attacks and strokes.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34But, despite that message ringing out loud and clear, we still eat
0:09:34 > 0:09:39more salt than we should and most of it is in processed foods.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42So the obvious solution might seem for it to simply be taken
0:09:42 > 0:09:44out of these foods altogether.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47But, as one Rip-Off Britain viewer who wrote to us about exactly
0:09:47 > 0:09:51that subject has now found out, that's not as simple as it sounds.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57We keep being told about the bad things in the food we eat,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00and many of us try hard to cut down on the ones that,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03if we have too much, can do us harm.
0:10:04 > 0:10:10Sugar, saturated fat and alcohol might be the usual suspects
0:10:10 > 0:10:12but for anyone with potential heart problems,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15public enemy number one is salt.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18And some of us, like Maggie Hackney from Hertfordshire,
0:10:18 > 0:10:21would like to see the amount contained in some of our foods
0:10:21 > 0:10:22dramatically reduced.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25Maggie has a long-term interest in health,
0:10:25 > 0:10:28so much so that her years of work in the area
0:10:28 > 0:10:30have earned her an MBE.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33I'd like to see the food industry remove all
0:10:33 > 0:10:38unnecessary salt from any food products.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41I don't think you have to compromise on taste
0:10:41 > 0:10:45by reducing salt in food. I think you can have both.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48And that's something we're about to test out.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53The recommended maximum intake of salt is 6g a day for an adult.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Any more and we're told we could risk
0:10:55 > 0:10:58increasing the chances of heart disease.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02But, on average, each of us eats closer to eight to 9g a day.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06About 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09in things like bread, breakfast cereals and ready meals,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14so it's not always easy to know how much salt you're consuming.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17And it's these pre-made, processed products in particular
0:11:17 > 0:11:21that Maggie thinks need to be shedding the salt.
0:11:21 > 0:11:27My father died of heart disease, and I am aware that we used to eat
0:11:27 > 0:11:33far too much salt in our diet when I was young with my family at home.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40On average, we Brits eat almost 50% more salt every day than we should,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42and the place that eats the most...
0:11:42 > 0:11:43is Scotland.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47Here, as in the rest of the UK, the Government has set strict targets
0:11:47 > 0:11:50to reduce the levels of salt in foods.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52But that can be easier said than done.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55So Maggie has come to Scotland to see for herself
0:11:55 > 0:11:59how challenging it can be to cut salt from foods altogether.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- Hello.- Hiya, Maggie.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Cameron Skinner is an award-winning butcher who runs
0:12:05 > 0:12:07the Extraordinary Sausage Company.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Sausages are traditionally high in salt.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Just two of them could be a quarter of your daily allowance.
0:12:12 > 0:12:16But that's no longer quite the case with Cameron's sausages,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19as he's been working hard to reformulate his recipes
0:12:19 > 0:12:21with less salt.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Cameron makes 60 varieties of sausage,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27and they all contain more than 75% meat.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31The remaining 25% is usually made up of ingredients like oats,
0:12:31 > 0:12:36rice and a unique combination of herbs, seasoning and salt.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38That looks like an awful lot of salt.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42With all manufacturers feeling the pressure from the Government
0:12:42 > 0:12:46to use less salt, Cameron was keen to oblige.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49But when he tried removing salt from his sausages entirely,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52he soon found there was a very big problem.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54His bangers just didn't taste as good.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59We made a sausage with no salt in it at all and it was terrible.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Everything about it. The colour wasn't the same,
0:13:02 > 0:13:07texture was different and the overall flavour just wasn't there.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10It's a challenge shared across the food industry.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Removing one thing from a recipe can throw up all sorts
0:13:13 > 0:13:17of unexpected problems, which require lots of time-consuming
0:13:17 > 0:13:19and expensive research to resolve.
0:13:19 > 0:13:23And with a fraction of the resources of a big supermarket, it's not easy
0:13:23 > 0:13:26for small businesses like Cameron's to work out how to make
0:13:26 > 0:13:31something like sausages salt-free while still tasting just as good.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So, with limited resources himself,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Cameron turned to a pilot scheme
0:13:37 > 0:13:39run by the Scottish Food and Drink Federation
0:13:39 > 0:13:42to help small businesses reformulate their recipes.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47Chris Peace is the food technologist who was assigned to Cameron's case.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Cameron asked me to review the recipes,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52to identify the salt content
0:13:52 > 0:13:56and which ingredients it was contained within.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Chris discovered that the saltiest part of the sausage
0:13:58 > 0:14:03was the seasoning mix that formed the base of lots of Cameron's recipes.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06We did have to work with a number of different seasoning companies,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09some products were rejected straightaway
0:14:09 > 0:14:11and we couldn't get anything close to what we were looking for.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Other people who worked,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16they created a number of variations that we tried
0:14:16 > 0:14:19with further improvements or finessing of the recipe,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22until we got what we were actually looking for.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25It took almost six months before Chris, Cameron
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and the seasoning manufacturers could come up with a mix
0:14:28 > 0:14:30that Cameron's customers approved of.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Well, it was absolutely brilliant, we knew we'd got there,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35obviously you can calculate the recipe and you know
0:14:35 > 0:14:36where the salt content needs to be,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40but it's getting that right blend of spices and flavours in there
0:14:40 > 0:14:42to come through at the same time.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Dr Jonathan Wilkin from Abertay University knows only too well
0:14:49 > 0:14:52the problems manufacturers like Cameron face
0:14:52 > 0:14:54when they're trying to cut out salt
0:14:54 > 0:14:58because it plays a much bigger role in food than simply taste.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Why can't we just take out all salt from all prepared foods?
0:15:05 > 0:15:08We can't take all salt out of all prepared foods
0:15:08 > 0:15:09because it's there for shelf life.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13If you want to pick up a food product on a Monday
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and still eat it on a Saturday or a Sunday,
0:15:16 > 0:15:17then you need salt in it.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20And if it isn't, the problems might not just stop
0:15:20 > 0:15:21at sausages that taste bad.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24If you don't get it right, in some cases,
0:15:24 > 0:15:27removing the salt could actually be dangerous.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29As Jonathan's keen to demonstrate.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31We have our Petri dishes,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and what we've done is added different salt contents
0:15:34 > 0:15:36or percentages to the Petri dishes.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40When you remove salt from food, it makes it easier
0:15:40 > 0:15:43for potentially harmful bacteria to grow,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45increasing the risk of food poisoning
0:15:45 > 0:15:48if it isn't sold and eaten quickly.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50Most bacteria don't like salt
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and as you can see, each one has a percentage of salt.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57So this one's got no salt, this one's got 2.5% salt.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01And as you can see, there's still a reasonable amount of growth.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04When it gets up to 5%, we see a reduction,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07quite a big reduction in salt, but still a little bit
0:16:07 > 0:16:11of bacteria growing, and then at 7.5 they're completely clean,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15there's nothing in there, so it just shows you the percentages of salt
0:16:15 > 0:16:17can really make a difference
0:16:17 > 0:16:20when you're preserving foods against bacteria.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23And is there any other way we could do this safely yet?
0:16:23 > 0:16:25Currently, no.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27If we started putting low salt in food products,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31- you would see more food going off quicker.- Mm-hm.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36Making sure that lower salt levels in what we eat don't risk
0:16:36 > 0:16:39causing it to go off faster or even lead to food poisoning
0:16:39 > 0:16:41requires expertise and research,
0:16:41 > 0:16:46neither of which Cameron's business had easily available.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48But thanks to the combined powers of the experts
0:16:48 > 0:16:50and those seasoning manufacturers,
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Cameron's sausages now contain
0:16:52 > 0:16:56an impressive 45% less salt than they used to,
0:16:56 > 0:16:59making them well within the Scottish Government's targets.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02And to make up for what was taken out,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Cameron got creative with what he put back in.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09We make a sausage with seaweed and rhubarb
0:17:09 > 0:17:12which gives you the saltiness, you know, natural saltiness,
0:17:12 > 0:17:15with a bit of tartness with the rhubarb.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17We also made a sausage with banana.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20We use fruit, veg, all different things, to give other...
0:17:20 > 0:17:24chillies, things like that, to give other flavours to the products.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Convinced that, with the right help,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28all manufacturers could bring their salt levels down,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Maggie hopes what she's seen in Scotland can be extended
0:17:31 > 0:17:36to the rest of the UK to help all of us reduce the amount of salt we eat.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I've learnt a lot from this experience, but I now understand
0:17:41 > 0:17:44that you can't totally remove all salt from a product,
0:17:44 > 0:17:49but to do so and still keep the flavour and taste,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51I think, is the way forward.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00Still to come on Rip-Off Britain, we'll cut through the mixed messages
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and confused advice to separate fact from fiction
0:18:03 > 0:18:05when it comes to having a healthy diet.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It's a bit confusing when, on one hand,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10you need to increase your fruits and vegetables
0:18:10 > 0:18:12and on the other hand, it's conflicting information
0:18:12 > 0:18:14telling you that you shouldn't have them.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Now, we know from all your e-mails and letters
0:18:20 > 0:18:22just how baffled many of you are
0:18:22 > 0:18:24by the often conflicting health advice
0:18:24 > 0:18:27it seems we're bombarded with every single day.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Well, don't worry, because help is at hand!
0:18:29 > 0:18:32We enlisted a willing volunteer to help us cut through
0:18:32 > 0:18:35all the confusion and the different messages that are out there.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37But as she did all of that,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39the question we couldn't stop wondering about
0:18:39 > 0:18:42is whether amidst all the misinformation that's around,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44are we getting as good,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and as up-to-date, official help as we ought to be?
0:18:49 > 0:18:53If all those surveys and news reports are to be believed,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57worrying about healthy eating is something of a national obsession.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59And certainly there are millions of us
0:18:59 > 0:19:01who do try and keep up with the latest advice.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05But when so much of the information we get seems contradictory -
0:19:05 > 0:19:06that isn't always easy.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Ashley Whitehead from Manchester is one of those
0:19:11 > 0:19:14who tries to read up on how to eat more healthily.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17But, like many others, she can be left completely flummoxed
0:19:17 > 0:19:20by what she sees in the newspapers and online.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22It's quite confusing whether or not, you know,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25to increase meat for the protein or can you get protein elsewhere
0:19:25 > 0:19:27from maybe lentils and the like?
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So, that's been quite confusing for me.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34And she was left particularly frustrated after making
0:19:34 > 0:19:38a change to her diet because she'd read it would be good for her,
0:19:38 > 0:19:42only to see a report saying exactly the opposite a short time later.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44One thing I changed in my diet
0:19:44 > 0:19:47was increase the amount of fruit juices and smoothies,
0:19:47 > 0:19:48especially on the label
0:19:48 > 0:19:51when they're mentioning it's two out of your five a day.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56However, I started reading that maybe they weren't as good for you.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58If, like Ashley, you're trying
0:19:58 > 0:20:00to work your way through all those conflicting messages,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04you might think that one place to turn to would be the Government.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06It publishes official health advice,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09shown on what's called "the eatwell plate".
0:20:09 > 0:20:12You may have seen a poster of it in your GP's surgery,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14dividing up our diet into five food groups,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18and telling us roughly how much of each we should eat.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21The biggest shares go to starchy carbohydrates,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23and to fruit and veg,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26then followed by milk and dairy foods,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29protein-rich foods like meat, fish and beans,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32and finally foods that are high in fat or sugar.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35I've been left a little bit confused in trying to understand,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37you know, certain fruits contain a lot of sugar
0:20:37 > 0:20:38and I should stay away from them.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41So it's a bit confusing when, on one hand,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44you're told that it's healthy and you need to increase
0:20:44 > 0:20:45your amount of fruits and vegetables
0:20:45 > 0:20:47and on the other hand, it's, you know,
0:20:47 > 0:20:52conflicting information telling you that you shouldn't have them.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55The idea of the eatwell plate was introduced 20 years ago.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58And although its design has changed since then,
0:20:58 > 0:21:01the advice and information shown has never been updated.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03And as a result, some experts,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06including nutrition scientist Professor Susan Jebb,
0:21:06 > 0:21:10are worried that instead of helping us identify what we should be eating
0:21:10 > 0:21:13it's simply adding to all the confusion.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16The eatwell plate is designed to convey all of the information
0:21:16 > 0:21:19we want to give the public about a healthy diet
0:21:19 > 0:21:22and that's a pretty tall order for a single image.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25So I think it's not surprising that we have struggled
0:21:25 > 0:21:30to make it as clear and as informative as it might be.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33We put these criticisms to Public Health England,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37the organisation responsible for the eatwell plate.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41It told us...that the advice is not designed to be used alone,
0:21:41 > 0:21:46but alongside wider messaging from other NHS resources.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49It went on to say that its own research has found that consumers
0:21:49 > 0:21:52are not confused about the imagery of a plate,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and explained that the plate model hasn't changed in 20 years
0:21:55 > 0:21:57because...
0:21:59 > 0:22:00..in all this time.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02But at the same time,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Public Health England IS reviewing the visual image of the plate
0:22:06 > 0:22:07to ensure that it remains:
0:22:11 > 0:22:15But if the eatwell plate isn't enough to help Ashley make sense
0:22:15 > 0:22:17of all the health advice we're overwhelmed with,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20then maybe nutrition consultant Sue Baic can.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22Sue's called round to see
0:22:22 > 0:22:25if she can help clear up some of the things that have left
0:22:25 > 0:22:28not just Ashley bewildered, but quite possibly you, as well.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29I eat a lot of fruit,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33but I'm a bit concerned with the amount of sugar that's in the fruit.
0:22:33 > 0:22:37OK, the message is we should be having at least five a day
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and that's a mix of different fruits and vegetables,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43but only about 31% of the population actually achieve it,
0:22:43 > 0:22:45so people aren't really managing it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49People don't realise that canned count as one of your five a day,
0:22:49 > 0:22:51so your baked beans can count as one,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54you've got tomatoes and beans in there.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59And what about those fruit smoothies that Ashley had been put off buying
0:22:59 > 0:23:01after seeing reports suggesting
0:23:01 > 0:23:03they had too much sugar to really count towards your five a day?
0:23:03 > 0:23:05With a smoothie, if you've got
0:23:05 > 0:23:07two portions of fruit and vegetable in there,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10you've actually got the fibre in there as well.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12We do need a mix of fruit and vegetables
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and we do need some that aren't juiced.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19So, it seems like Ashley needn't give up on those smoothies just yet!
0:23:19 > 0:23:23But something else she can't quite keep up with is the advice on water.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Because again, there isn't always agreement
0:23:25 > 0:23:27on how much you should be drinking.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Six to eight drinks a day,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32depending on how big they are.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34It doesn't have to be water -
0:23:34 > 0:23:38tea counts, coffee, milk, fruit juice, squash,
0:23:38 > 0:23:43those sorts of fizzy drinks - they all count towards it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47A drink that doesn't count towards your daily water total is wine
0:23:47 > 0:23:49because it's dehydrating.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52But some reports would have us believe that in moderation
0:23:52 > 0:23:55it can have other life-extending magical properties
0:23:55 > 0:23:57while others say exactly the opposite.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59So which is right?
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Red wine contains some anti-oxidants
0:24:02 > 0:24:05which have been shown to have benefits for heart disease.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08What the research shows is that all types of alcohol are beneficial
0:24:08 > 0:24:11in terms of heart health, but only a very small amount
0:24:11 > 0:24:15and for specific groups - men and post-menopausal women.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20And it's 1-2 units a day of any type of alcohol that's beneficial.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23The problem is most people drink more than that.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Why don't you pour into that glass
0:24:25 > 0:24:27what you think would be a unit of red wine.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33OK, you've got about 250ml there, I would estimate,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35which, this is going to surprise you,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38that's actually three units!
0:24:38 > 0:24:40That's a bit scary.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Finally, Ashley gets particularly confused about carbohydrates,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46like bread, pasta and potatoes.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Around a third of our diet should be starchy carbohydrate foods,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54and around half of that should be the wholegrain version.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56The wholegrains are higher in fibre
0:24:56 > 0:24:58and they're higher in vitamins and minerals.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00They also keep us feeling full for longer as well.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03People get very scared about bread and potatoes,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06they think they're fattening, but often it's the things we add to them,
0:25:06 > 0:25:12so the butter or mayonnaise we might add to the potatoes or the bread
0:25:12 > 0:25:14that adds on the extra calories.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17At the end of it all, it seems
0:25:17 > 0:25:20the best advice is probably the simplest and the most familiar.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Just about all foods can be absolutely fine
0:25:23 > 0:25:25as part of a healthy diet.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28As long as you don't eat too much of any of them!
0:25:28 > 0:25:31But for nutrition scientist Professor Susan Jebb,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34what's so frustrating about the mass of contradictory headlines
0:25:34 > 0:25:37is that they distract from the more fundamental health messages,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40the ones that most experts agree on.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44The frustration for me is that actually the core of dietary advice
0:25:44 > 0:25:48has remained absolutely consistent over many, many decades.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52On average, people eat too much saturated fat, too much sugar,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54too much salt and too little fibre.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58It's not lack of knowledge which is really the barrier
0:25:58 > 0:26:02to people implementing healthy diets.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04As for Ashley, in future,
0:26:04 > 0:26:07she'll be taking a lot of the food stories and advice she reads
0:26:07 > 0:26:10with that proverbial pinch of salt.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13A lot of the common-believed myths on what's bad and what's good
0:26:13 > 0:26:17is more clearer now in my head and not necessarily going to look at,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20you know, maybe things in that way any more.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Here at Rip-Off Britain, we're always ready to investigate
0:26:32 > 0:26:35more of your stories - on any subject.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Confused over your bills or just trying to wade through
0:26:38 > 0:26:40the never-ending small print?
0:26:41 > 0:26:45You can write to us at...
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Or send us an e-mail to...
0:26:57 > 0:27:02The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting to investigate your stories.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Well, I think as we've seen, making sure that the food we eat
0:27:08 > 0:27:11won't do us any harm can be a very tough job
0:27:11 > 0:27:13and one that never stops!
0:27:13 > 0:27:17And I have to say, I was genuinely impressed to see that everything
0:27:17 > 0:27:21is now thoroughly checked to stop anyone having an allergic reaction.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24You can't take away all the risks entirely, of course,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27but you can see there's a real commitment to getting it right.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30- And I think that's very comforting. - Very reassuring.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34And that really will pay off because it's going to make eating out
0:27:34 > 0:27:36a lot easier for many, many people.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39I must say, by the way, I am always fascinated
0:27:39 > 0:27:42when we get the access to have that look behind the scenes.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46So much goes in the food industry we're not even aware of,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49and it's good to know that people are working really hard
0:27:49 > 0:27:52to make what we eat not just safe, but also healthy.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55And on that reassuringly positive note,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57we have to leave it for today.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00You can of course find out more about the stories in today's programme
0:28:00 > 0:28:02on our website, you know the address...
0:28:04 > 0:28:08And we'll be back to investigate more of your stories soon.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11But until then, thanks for joining us, and from all of us, goodbye.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12- Goodbye.- Bye-bye.