Experts Warn Against Secret Sugars
Experts have warned that people who believe they have a healthy diet may actually be consuming a large amount of sugar as a result of ‘secret sugars’.
Most people are aware of the damage that too much fat or salt can do, yet experts are eager for more of us to monitor our sugar intake, as many of the foods we consume on a regular basis contain a large amount of sugar. A healthy breakfast of Bran Flakes and a glass of orange juice, for example, may contain up to half the recommended daily sugar intake and ready meals and sauces, although savoury in taste, usually have high sugar content.
Tam Fry from the National Obesity Forum said that many foods that are branded low-fat are actually very high in sugar because manufacturers use sugar to make the product taste better in the absence of fat.
An investigation by the Daily Mail revealed that some of the nation’s favourite foods are harbouring secret sugars, which not only increase the risk of oral health diseases, such as gum disease and tooth decay, but also contribute to high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. According to guidelines in the UK, added sugar, which does not occur naturally, should not exceed more than 10 percent of our daily calorie intake. This equates to around 50 grams of sugar per day or 10 cubes for adults and 9 cubes for children.
During the investigation, several popular foods and drinks were found to exceed the daily intake. One McDonald’s milkshake, for example, contained 16 cubes of sugar, while a 500ml bottle of Coke has more than 10 cubes and even a salad labelled as a healthy option, contains 2 cubes of sugar.
The government’s national Diet and Nutrition Survey revealed that on average, Brits exceed the daily intake of sugar by 18 percent.
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