Consumer watchdogs have again hit out at fast food outlets for offering unhealthy salads.
Which? magazine said its research had shown that the supposedly healthy salad options at chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut, contained unexpectedly high amounts of salt and fat.
But while the food might not be healthy, the chains attempts to promote a better image are working, as some children now believe fast-food is healthy, Which? claimed.
Of all the food the magazine tested at KFC and McDonald’s, the three with the most salt per portion were salads, containing more than 3g, half the recommended daily intake.
A KFC chicken salad was reported to have more salt than a chicken burger and fries, while a McDonald's Crispy Chicken Ranch salad with dressing had 11.1 grams of saturated fat, more than half the total amount a woman should eat in a day.
"Don't assume that a salad is always a healthy option - you could be getting a large helping of fat and salt on the side," said Which? editor Malcolm Coles.
The report also accused companies of providing misleading information about their food. It said said a Zinger Crunch Salad had almost three times the amount of saturated fat as KFC claimed it had.
Despite these results, the adverts by fast-food firms which often featured links to sporting or leisure activities, had worked on children, according to interviews conducted by Which? with primary and secondary school pupils.
"Some of the foods and drinks there are very healthy," one eight-year-old girl said, while another child added: "I prefer McDonald's because I like healthy foods."
Which? is calling for the "aggressive marketing" of unhealthy foods to children to be stopped and criticised the use of free toys to attract youngsters.
