This text is lifted from a dental broadsheet.
There is a petition at www.dentistry.co.uk/sugared-out
Sugar consumption is at an all-time high and as any dentist has witnessed it is having a massive impact on our oral health. Britons have the highest sugar intake across the whole of Europe. Despite NHS and government guidelines advising on how much we should consume manufacturers make it very difficult to limit our intake.
Preservation, colour, fermentation, bulk and texture are all key reasons for manufacturers adding sugar to food. These reasons along with the fact that is relatively cheap and easy to obtain means the food industry is in no rush to help wean the nation off its addiction to sugar. It is therefore left to dentists and other health professionals to educate patient in the battle against the sweet stuff.
Sugar guidelines
The NHS states that the government recommends three sugars: sugars added to food or drinks, and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purée is should not make up more than 5% of the energy (calories) you get from the food and drinks each day.
To put this in context
for adults it equates to 30 g of free sugar day which is around seven sugar cubes.
Four children aged between seven and 10 no more than 24 g which is six sugar cubes
children aged 4 to 6 no more than 19 g which is five sugar cubes
and those under four should avoid all sugar sweetened drinks and food
Snacks
one galaxy milk chocolate bar is 23 g of sugar
half a Cadbury milk chocolate bar is 30.8 g of sugar
30 g of raisins (a good adult handful) is 20 g of sugar
Drinks
one can (330 mil) of Coca-Cola is 35 g of sugar
one pret hot chocolate is 37 g of sugar
one can of red Bull (250 ml) is 27.5 g of sugar
Breakfast
Kellogg's Frosty's, crunchy nut and cocoa pops cereals us 35 g of sugar per 100 mil
Pret five berry bowl is 29 g of sugar
half a cup of nestle shreddies cereal is 28 g of sugar
Sauces
half a cup of ketchup is 28.5 g of sugar
Heinz classic barbecue sauce is 29 g of sugar per 100 ml
I think all this just underlines the fact that it is very easy to consume all or the bulk of the recommended daily allowance in a single snack or drink.
Some manufacturers have added the recommended traffic light signals which do give some indication of high sugar -containing foods.
It is interesting that some have not and others have chosen to do them in black and whites so they are not so visible.
The list of ingredients can but sugars can be listed under several different names.
