Dentists raise concerns over sugar-laden festive drinks
Dentists have raised concerns over the sugar content of popular festive drinks, as studies suggest that some products contain over 15 cubes of sugar per serving.
As Christmas draws closer, crowds are flocking to high street cafes and coffee shops to snap up seasonal treats and festive exclusives. While the festive season is traditionally associated with indulgence, dentists are worried about the implications of gorging on sugar-laden food and drinks.
Analysis of the best-selling festive drinks on the high street revealed that some products contain around 15 teaspoons of sugar. The worst offender on the list was Caffe Nero’s mint choc chip hot chocolate, which contains 468 calories and 63.5g of sugar.
This equates to the same sugar content as eight yum-yums. Other drinks in the top 10 included Pret a Manger’s popcorn hot chocolate, Starbucks’ fudge brownie hot chocolate, Costa’s Toffee Penny latte and the Purple One hot chocolate and Caffe Nero’s salted caramel and hazelnut hot chocolates.
Chris Moffatt, from Kent Dental Express, the firm that carried out the analysis, said that Christmas is a time for celebrating and letting your hair down, but it’s important to be able to make informed decisions about what we eat and drink. Some of the most popular festive drinks contain a huge amount of sugar and hundreds of calories.
Mr Moffatt encouraged anyone who does want to treat themselves to a seasonal coffee or hot chocolate to use a straw, drink with meals, drink water after finishing and keep up with twice-daily brushing and regular dental checks.
Tooth decay affects around one-third of adults in the UK and it is also the most common cause of hospital admissions among children.
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