News
Blog about money: ‘Laser tattooed’ avocados in supermarket test; Netflix users warned about scam | UK News
‘Horrible’ sugar content of popular sweets revealed – these are the ‘least bad’ options if you want to indulge
It can be difficult to balance the demands of eating well without spending a lot.
In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket at the best value – and we enlist the help of Sunna Van Kampenfounder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing his diet in search of healthier choices.
In this series, we don’t try to find the healthiest option, but we help you get the best nutritional value for as little money as possible.
Today we are looking at sweets.
“We all love a treat every now and then, but making small changes to our choices can lead to big benefits without having to give it up entirely,” says Sunna.
The sugar hit
“It’s important to contextualize the impact a bag of candy can have,” says Sunna.
The NHS daily recommendation for sugar intake is 30g per day for adults, 24g per day for children aged seven to 10 and 19g per day for children aged four to six.
A typical 100g bag of sweets can contain between 40-70g of sugar – more than double your daily intake.
Skittles
It’s safe to say that Sunna is not a fan of one of the country’s favorite brands, pointing to its 74% sugar content.
“To put that into perspective, almost three-quarters of every Skittle is pure sugar, or 25 teaspoons in a 136g bag,” he says.
This is three times the recommended daily intake according to the NHS.
“Although they are undeniably tasty, this sugar content can wreak havoc on your health and they are also colored in a multitude of artificial colors.”
Sky News approached Skittles’ parent company Mars Inc. for comment but did not receive a response.
Haribo
“While neither are healthy, there is an opportunity to drastically reduce sugar intake within the Haribo range,” explains Sunna.
Here’s the sugar breakdown:
- Supermix – 55% sugar content
- Tangfastica – 50% sugar content
- Starmix – 47% sugar content
- Fruitful – 34% sugar content
- Zingfest – 32% sugar content (and Sunna’s new favorite)
The difference becomes clear when you divide this into teaspoons of sugar.
“Supermix has 24 teaspoons of sugar in a 175g bag, while Zingfest only has 12 in a 150g bag,” says Sunna.
“That’s a 50% reduction in sugar content, albeit in a slightly smaller bag, but portion control is important because no one is putting an opened bag back in the cupboard.”
A sweet alternative
Sunna recommends Rowntree’s Berry Hearts if you’re looking for something to try.
“These heart-shaped gummies do my favorite thing – remove all the yellows and oranges and add a bag full of reds and purples – but they also only contain 35% sugar.
“That’s less than half the sugar content of Skittles — and they use black carrots, carrots and hibiscus as colors in place of artificial sweeteners.”
A bag of Skittles a week would result in more than 5.2 kg of sugar per year.
“The exchange for Berry Hearts would be 2.1 kg per year – a saving of more than 3 kg of sugar. It’s a huge reduction,” says Sunna.
This shows that, even when indulging in sweets, choosing those with lower sugar content can make a big difference.
“Reducing sugar not only helps with weight management, but also reduces the risk of chronic diseases and improves overall well-being.”
The nutritionist’s view – from Nichola Ludlam-Raine, d.ieticiano in nicsnutrition.com…
“Sweets and candies are undeniably a treat that many of us like, but it is important to be aware of their sugar content, especially with the significant variations between different types, in addition to the portion size and frequency with which we consume them.
“Grabbing and sharing bags can lead us to eat more and can distort what is a healthy portion size.
“Plus, most of us would be horrified if we actually saw how much sugar was being added to these sweets.
“Choosing lower-sugar options, like Rowntree’s Berry Hearts, can help satisfy those with a sweet tooth while also helping us stay below daily free sugar limits (free sugar includes added sugar and which occurs naturally in honey and fruit juice too), but we shouldn’t be fooled by these “health halos” either – sugar is sugar, and it can easily add up if consumed too regularly throughout the day.
“Reducing your free sugar intake should be a goal for many of us and is crucial not just for weight management but for overall health, including reducing the risk of tooth decay (although sugary drinks tend to lead to cookie here).
“Remember, making small, smarter choices can lead to substantial health benefits over time.
“Enjoy your treats, but eat them in moderation (i.e. not daily), choose wisely, and try not to eat sugary treats throughout the day as your teeth won’t thank you.”
Read more from this series…