Halve your sugar intake, say government advisers
Government advisers warn that the British diet should be made up of no more than 5 per cent sugar – just seven teaspoons and half of the current advice.
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Sugar should make up only 5 per cent of daily calories, a limit which would require most Britons to slash their daily intake, official government advisors have warned.
New guidance issued after a review of the latest scientific evidence by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SACN) says that adults should restrict the amount of sugar consumed in a day to seven teaspoon or cubes – half what is currently recommended.
The new guidance means that a single can of fizzy drink will push an adult over their daily sugar allowance.
Children should consume even less sugar, with a maximum for those aged four to six years old of 19 grams or five sugar cubes and 24g or six sugar cubes for those aged seven to 10.
Health issues
The Department of Health and Food Standards Agency asked the SAC to look at the latest evidence on the links between eating and drinking carbohydrates and sugars and a range of health issues including type 2 diabetes and tooth decay.
The committee found that drinking lots of sugary drinks was contributing to obesity in children and high sugar intake was lined to a greater risk of tooth decay. Sugary drinks were also linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Evidence stark
Prof Ian Macdonald, chair of the working group of the committee, said: “The evidence is stark – too much sugar is harmful to health and we all need to cut back. The clear and consistent link between a high-sugar diet and conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes is the wake-up call we need to rethink our diet.
“Cut down on sugars, increase fibre and we’ll all have a better chance of living longer, healthier lives.”
The government said it was accepting the recommendations and will be using them to develop its national strategy on childhood obesity, which is due out later this year.
The main sources of sugar in the diet are sweetened drinks and cereal, confectionery, fruit juice, and sugar added at the table.
How to keep your sugar under the daily limit
Fizzy drinks
Sugary sweet drinks are top of the target list when it comes to the new advice, with over consumption blamed for type 2 diabetes, tooth decay and obesity in children. Just one can can push you over the recommended daily amount.
Coca cola
One can contains 35g. A 500ml bottle of Coke would contain over 50g.
Sprite
One can contains 22g of sugar. A 500ml bottle would contain over 30g.
Tonic water
One 250ml serving contains 13g of sugar
Vitamin water, Revive fruit punch
A 500ml bottle contains 15g of sugar
But juices can be even worse
Tropicana orange juice
One 200ml serving has 20g of sugar
Copella apple juice
200ml of this juice has 20.4g of sugar
Cereal
Pouring a bowl of cereal can seem an easy morning option, but some have surprising sugar contents, especially for young children.
Coco pops
11 g per 30g serving or 35g per 100g
Frosties
11g per 30g serving or 37g per 100g
Chrunchy nut cornflakes
11g per 30g serving or 35g per 100g
Alpen 10.4g per 45g, 23.1 per 100g.
Be aware of your ready meals
Supermarkets have worked hard to keep the sugar out of their ready meals in recent meals, with many slashing sugar content – although fat content can still be very high.
Sweet and sour chicken with free range egg fried rice
Sainsbury’s – 37.2g of sugar per pack
Waitrose Asian fusion chicken
12.1g of sugar per 350g
ASDA Tandoori Chicken Masala & Pilau Rice
12.2 grams per 450g
Tesco Finest Cumberland Sausage And Mash
10.5g per 445
And don’t slather it with sauces
Ketchup
One serving at 15g, contains 4g of sugar. That is 23.7g per 100g.
Heinz organic ketchup contains a little less at 3.7g per 15g serving.
Barbeque
This contains a little more with a 15g serving containing 4.3g.
HP sauce has 3,5g per 15g. 23.1 per 100g.
They might not have teeth yet, but it’s worth keeping an eye on the sugar content of you baby’s food
Cow & Gate 6 Months+ Juicy Fruit Crumble 125g
Contains 12g of sugar per 100g.
A 125g pot contains 15g of sugar, almost 80 percent of a child’s daily allowance.
Hipp organic just fruit, apple & pear 100g
contains 9.3g of sugar per 100g