24 Mar 2016 --- Sugar levels in seemingly healthy children’s fruit juices, juice drinks and smoothies have been deemed “unnecessarily high” – with large variation between different types of juices – according to a new paper published in the BMJ Open.
On the back of the BMJ research, Action on Sugar is calling on the government to introduce a regulated reformulation program to reduce sugar content by 50% within the next 5 years, starting immediately with sugar-sweetened soft drinks and restrict children’s drinks to only 150ml bottles/cartons, as part of the Childhood Obesity Strategy scheduled for the summer.
Sugary drinks including fruit juices are one of the main contributors to excess sugar consumption amongst children and adults in the UK. The research found that almost half the products assessed contained at least a child’s entire daily-recommended maximum sugar intake of 19g – almost five teaspoons! Furthermore, the average sugars content among the 158 juice drinks analyzed is 7g/ 100ml and is significantly higher in the in the 21 pure fruit juices assessed (10.7g/100ml) and the 24 smoothies (13g/ 100g).
Co-author of the study Kawther Hashem, Registered Nutritionist and Researcher of Action on Sugar spoke to FoodIngredientsFirst about the issue: “When we talk about sugar reformulation we are not just recommending a reduction in sugars content of products but also a reduction in portion size. Some sugary drinks can be reformulated to reduce the sugars content, but for products, such as 100% fruit juice, this is not possible therefore restricting children’s drinks to only 150ml bottles/cartons is the best approach to take.”
New UK guidelines extends the advice that only a 150ml serving of fruit juice counts as one of the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day to smoothies – which previously contributed to two 5 a day portions. This is in acknowledgment of the high sugar content of smoothies. The research found that only six products were actually sold in 150ml bottles/cartons, which is of no help to parents trying to make a healthy choice for their children.
Even though there is absolutely no need to add sugar to a product made with fruit, a quarter (57) of those surveyed also contained sugar (sucrose) or glucose-fructose syrup as an added ingredient. Fruit when consumed ‘whole’ is both naturally sweet and healthy for you, as it contains fiber and vitamins. When processed into fruit juice drinks, the sugars (fructose) in the fruit cell walls are released as ‘free sugars’ which damage your teeth and provide unnecessary calories; you take in more calories without feeling full (i.e. A 200ml glass of orange juice can contain 3 oranges).
Hashem adds: “It is highly concerning that many parents are still buying fruit juices and juice drinks for their children thinking they are choosing healthy products; children should be given as little juice as possible (maximum of 150ml/day). These juices rot children's teeth and give children a ‘sweet tooth’ that will affect their general health in later life.”
“What is more concerning are the products with added sugar and glucose-fructose syrup. We call on all manufacturers to stop adding more sugars to already sweet juices, particularly in children’s products and to restrict children’s drinks to only 150ml bottles/cartons.”
“I expect that some parents will start to take some control by limiting the amount of sugary drinks they give to their children. But actually there is very little parents can do when they are out and about. Very few products on the supermarket shelves are sold in the correct portion size (150ml max), which leaves parents with little choice,” explains Hashem.
“Our advice is to eat the fruit, don’t drink the juice. Juice should be an occasional treat, not an ‘everyday’ drink. These processed drinks are laden with sugars and calories and do not have the same nutritional benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables,” she states.
Professor Graham MacGregor, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Queen Mary University of London, Chair of Action on Sugar says: “Cameron now has all the evidence to make the UK the first country in the world to stop the obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic. To do this Cameron has to be radical and follow every single action that we have set out in our comprehensive plan. Otherwise it will be the final nail in an already bankrupt NHS.”
In response to the report, Diane Welland, Registered Dietician for the US based Juice Products Association, offered the following statement: “Parents should feel good about serving 100% juice to their children in appropriate amounts as a body of research shows drinking 100% juice is not associated with dental caries in early childhood and in fact, some studies show greater frequency of juice drinking may even have a protective effect on dental health in children. Weight is also not an issue as a systematic scientific review of the evidence found drinking appropriate amounts of 100% juice is not associated with weight status or obesity in children.”
“Research also shows children who drink fruit juice have better quality diets and eat more whole fruit than kids who don’t drink juice. Parents should know that one hundred percent juice contains all the same nutrients as fruit – which includes similar vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. There are multiple reasons based in nutrition science that the US Dietary Guidelines recognize 100% juice as a nutrient equivalent of fruit.”
by Elizabeth Kenward
