Fizzy Drinks And Beverages Without Alcohol
Added on 2022-08-21
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The not-so ‘sweet side’ of Sugar: how much should sugar are our children actually consuming?
DID YOU KNOW?
While they may seem harmless, some of the most popular and commonly consumed foods in our daily lives, which we also share with our children are actually
really high in free sugars. Fizzy drinks and beverages without alcohol, such as carbonated liquids like cola, commercial sport’s drinks and even packaged drinks,
contain some of the highest amounts of free sugars in them. According to a recent news report by the BBC (2016), popular non-alcoholic beverages like Coca-
Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Cherry 7 Up have some of the highest concentrations of sugar, ranging from 9 to almost 13 grams of free sugars for every 100
ml of drink. That amounts to almost 3 to 5 sugar cubes for every drink! This further reaches a staggering amount when we multiple this value with the number
of times we may offer such drinks to our children for each day, which can be estimated to be almost 15 to 20 cubes of sugar – an amount much higher than the
recommended 5 to 6 cubes of sugar per day for 5 to 11 year olds by the National Health Service. The list does not end here. In addition to sugary sweetened
beverages and fizzy drinks, some of the highest amounts of free sugars can be found in favorite ‘treats’ like cakes, cookies, packaged biscuits and packaged
confectionery.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE FREE SUGARS?
‘Free sugars’ are the name given to the sugars which
are not naturally present in foods (such as fruits) but
are added artificially to enhance flavors of existing food
products. These are the types of sugars which a
majority of children and adults in the United Kingdom,
end up consuming an excess of. According to the NHS
(2017), the following are some of the foods containing
high amounts of free sugars:
Beverages and foods in which sugars have
been added additionally, such as: chocolate,
cookies, biscuits, breakfast cereals, fizzy
drinks, packaged fruit juices and even ice
creams and frozen yoghurt. These may be
added at home when preparing such foods of
by food manufacturing companies and chefs
who are preparing and retailing these items at
stores and restaurants.
Sugars found in food additives, condiments
and accompaniments, such as: honey, syrups,
nectars, marmalades and jams. Even some of
these foods contain a naturally large amount
of sugar in them, the sugars in them are also
regarded as ‘free sugars’.
IS THIS A REAL PROBLEM? WHERE’S THE DATA?
According to a research by Public Health England, reported
recently by the BBC (2018), a majority of children aged 4 to
10 years old in the United Kingdom are consuming twice the
amount of sugar, that is, almost double of 13 sugar cubes,
than what is actually recommended for them to eat. When
the figures are combined annually, it amounts to
approximately an average value of 5000 cubes of sugar by the
children of the United Kingdom, in just one year. Further
details from the survey, participated by 1000 parents and
their children, revealed that some of the primary contributors
of high sugars in children’s diets are: sugary beverages (like
fizzy drinks, juices and energy drinks: 10%), confectionaries
like cakes and buns (10%), breakfast cereals (8%) and
chocolates, ice creams and yoghurt (6 to 7%).
WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?
Fizzy drinks and confectionaries may often feel the most convenient and delectable option to provide our children
with, but often we may be unaware of the amount of sugars present in them and how gradual consume can
contribute to a multitude of health problems. Consuming sugar and sugar-containing foods in excess amounts can
contribute to problems like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and even heart diseases when children grow into
adolescents and adults. Consuming too much of foods containing sugar can even cause dental problems like
cavities and tooth decay in children and even contribute to specific during adulthood in the future.
DID YOU KNOW?
While they may seem harmless, some of the most popular and commonly consumed foods in our daily lives, which we also share with our children are actually
really high in free sugars. Fizzy drinks and beverages without alcohol, such as carbonated liquids like cola, commercial sport’s drinks and even packaged drinks,
contain some of the highest amounts of free sugars in them. According to a recent news report by the BBC (2016), popular non-alcoholic beverages like Coca-
Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and Cherry 7 Up have some of the highest concentrations of sugar, ranging from 9 to almost 13 grams of free sugars for every 100
ml of drink. That amounts to almost 3 to 5 sugar cubes for every drink! This further reaches a staggering amount when we multiple this value with the number
of times we may offer such drinks to our children for each day, which can be estimated to be almost 15 to 20 cubes of sugar – an amount much higher than the
recommended 5 to 6 cubes of sugar per day for 5 to 11 year olds by the National Health Service. The list does not end here. In addition to sugary sweetened
beverages and fizzy drinks, some of the highest amounts of free sugars can be found in favorite ‘treats’ like cakes, cookies, packaged biscuits and packaged
confectionery.
WHAT EXACTLY ARE FREE SUGARS?
‘Free sugars’ are the name given to the sugars which
are not naturally present in foods (such as fruits) but
are added artificially to enhance flavors of existing food
products. These are the types of sugars which a
majority of children and adults in the United Kingdom,
end up consuming an excess of. According to the NHS
(2017), the following are some of the foods containing
high amounts of free sugars:
Beverages and foods in which sugars have
been added additionally, such as: chocolate,
cookies, biscuits, breakfast cereals, fizzy
drinks, packaged fruit juices and even ice
creams and frozen yoghurt. These may be
added at home when preparing such foods of
by food manufacturing companies and chefs
who are preparing and retailing these items at
stores and restaurants.
Sugars found in food additives, condiments
and accompaniments, such as: honey, syrups,
nectars, marmalades and jams. Even some of
these foods contain a naturally large amount
of sugar in them, the sugars in them are also
regarded as ‘free sugars’.
IS THIS A REAL PROBLEM? WHERE’S THE DATA?
According to a research by Public Health England, reported
recently by the BBC (2018), a majority of children aged 4 to
10 years old in the United Kingdom are consuming twice the
amount of sugar, that is, almost double of 13 sugar cubes,
than what is actually recommended for them to eat. When
the figures are combined annually, it amounts to
approximately an average value of 5000 cubes of sugar by the
children of the United Kingdom, in just one year. Further
details from the survey, participated by 1000 parents and
their children, revealed that some of the primary contributors
of high sugars in children’s diets are: sugary beverages (like
fizzy drinks, juices and energy drinks: 10%), confectionaries
like cakes and buns (10%), breakfast cereals (8%) and
chocolates, ice creams and yoghurt (6 to 7%).
WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?
Fizzy drinks and confectionaries may often feel the most convenient and delectable option to provide our children
with, but often we may be unaware of the amount of sugars present in them and how gradual consume can
contribute to a multitude of health problems. Consuming sugar and sugar-containing foods in excess amounts can
contribute to problems like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and even heart diseases when children grow into
adolescents and adults. Consuming too much of foods containing sugar can even cause dental problems like
cavities and tooth decay in children and even contribute to specific during adulthood in the future.
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