News: McDonald’s lowers sodium in grilled chicken, but it’s still pretty salty

McDonald’s Canada has lowered the sodium content in its Happy Meal grilled chicken wrap to 530 mgs, reports the CBC. OK, that’s a good start considering that a Big Mac contains a whopping 1020 mg of sodium. But let’s put this in perspective: The recommended daily sodium intake for children ages four to eight is 1,200 mg. So when little Johnny munches a Chicken Grilled Snack Wrap for lunch, he’s consumed almost half of his sodium for the day. Tack on a small fries (170 mg), a child-size Sprite (25 mg) and a Baked Apple Pie (200 mg), and Johnny has almost reached his sodium limit for the day (according to Health Canada, consuming too much sodium can lead to an increased risk of high blood pressure). By comparison, Health Canada’s Nutrient Value guide estimates that a grilled chicken sandwich with condiments and vegetables contains 330 mg of sodium. So what do you think? Is McDonald’s making a solid effort to respond to the health concerns of Canadians, or do fast food companies need to do more to make their foods healthier?

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