The 'healthy' butter alternative that is as salty as SEAWATER: Campaign group reveals the hidden danger in supermarket spreads Weight Watchers Dairy Spread contains 2.5g of salt per 100g This is the same as the salt content of the Atlantic Ocean Just 8% of butter and margarine meet Department of Health's Salt Targets 70% of butters get a "red traffic light" for salt as they contain more than 1.5g per 100g Some brands of butter and supposedly "healthy" spreads contain almost as much salt as seawater, a study shows. Because of its high saturated fat content, butter is associated with health risks such as weight gain, clogged arteries and heart disease. However, research by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash), suggests the salt content of some spreads is also a concern. Weight Watchers Dairy Spread contains 2.5g of salt per 100g which makes it as salty as seawater Seven in ten salted butters would receive a red traffic light label for salt under guidelines drawn up by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). Researchers found that fewer than four in ten spreads meet the Department of Health's 2012 salt reduction targets. The study warned that labels can be confusing. It pointed to Marks & Spencer Softer Butter, which is described as "slightly salted," but contains more than the chain's Salted Farmhouse Butter. The study found that "low fat" spreads can be higher in salt than the full fat versions, while one was as salty as some oceans. Some of the saltiest butters available are Country Life Butter (2g salt per 100g), Essential Waitrose Salted Dairy Butter (1.9g salt per 100g) and Anchor Butter (1.7g salt per 100g) The saltiest butter was found to be Country Life at 2g of salt per 100g, ahead of Essential Waitrose Salted Dairy Butter at 1.9g. Among margarines and spreads, the highest level was in Weight Watchers Dairy Spread at 2.5g salt per 100g - seawater is typically between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent salt. Katharine Jenner, campaign manager at Cash, warned: "Just one slice of buttered toast can contain more salt than a packet of crisps." Consumers generally eat spreads in relatively small amounts but their salt intake is boosted by eating processed foods such as bread and breakfast cereals. High salt intake poses few health problems in the short term. But continued high consumption is linked to raised blood pressure and the greater risk of a stroke and early death. Britons routinely consume more than the recommended maximum of 6g of salt a day for adults, resulting in an extra 70,000 heart attacks and strokes each year. Graham MacGregor, chairman of Cash and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Wolfson Institute, said: "It is a national scandal that there is still so much unnecessary salt in our food. For every one gramme reduction in salt intake, we can prevent 12,000 heart attacks, strokes and heart failures, half of which would have been fatal. It is vital that the Department of Health ensures that manufacturers reduce the salt in these products immediately. Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Shoppers clearly have to look twice when making the switch from butter to unsaturated spread. Manufacturers and supermarkets must cut back on the salt in their products so there is one less thing for shoppers to worry about. With so many varieties on offer, picking a healthy spread is confusing enough for consumers. Manufactures and supermarkets must cut back on the salt in their products so there is one less thing for shoppers to worry about. CASH has offered suggestions about how people can reduce their salt intake. It suggests that people opt for unsalted spreads and butters, that they think twice about diet spreads with less fat as they may contain more salt, that people reduce their butter and spread portions, and that people use olive oil when cooking instead of butter. Graphic shows the amount of salt (in grams) in the saltiest butter and margarine on sale in supermarkets