America’s new laws expose hidden sugars

New laws in America mean hidden sugars in food are about to be exposed to consumers.

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So many unexpected foods contain hidden sugars

We all know that sugar is added to many food products, such as soft drinks, desserts, biscuits and lollies. But have you ever checked for sugar content in foods like bread, pasta sauce or canned vegetables?

The Food and Drug Administration of America (FDA) have released a new template for nutrition labels, making it easier to understand the added sugar content of foods.

The change includes the addition of a line for “added sugar” to be placed below a line stating total sugar. The modification is designed to clearly distinguish between naturally occurring sugars in food (like the milk sugar in plain yoghurt) and flavor enhancing added sugars (like evaporated cane juice).

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Major changes to food labelling laws

Americans now consume on average a staggering 23 teaspoons of sugar each day. Researchers from the University of North Carolina have also uncovered that 68% of processed foods sold in supermarkets throughout America contain added sugar.

Some of these include obvious sugary foods, but others comprise of many sauces, soups, fruit juices, canned foods and even meat products.

With the importance of good nutrition and health awareness improving globally, the change in guidelines is a step in the right direction. High sugar consumption is directly linked to multiple serious medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The objective is for these new labeling restrictions to inform consumers clearly and precisely of the total sugar content contained in their weekly groceries.

 

Source: “Sweetening of the Global Diet, Particularly Beverages: Patterns, Trends, and Policy Responses” by Barry M. Popkin and Corinna Hawkes
Source: “Sweetening of the Global Diet, Particularly Beverages: Patterns, Trends, and Policy Responses” by Barry M. Popkin and Corinna Hawkes

We know nutrition labels can be confusing, so the guys at Crunch Fitness have put together a comprehensive guide to the ins and outs of reading them.

Stephanie King

Stephanie is a qualified Exercise and Sport Scientist who lives and breathes all things health and fitness. An Eastern Suburbs local, Stephanie spends her weekends being active outdoors, sipping on an espresso and hunting down the best smashed avo toast in Bondi. She has travelled to 5 out of 7 continents, jumped off one skyscraper and out of one plane to date.

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