Action on Sugar Campaign Targets Ginger Beer
The U.K.-based Action on Sugar campaign has issued a new survey allegedly
revealing “the shockingly high and unnecessary levels of sugar in carbonated
sugar-sweetened soft drinks,” according to a June 12, 2014, press release.
After analyzing 232 sugar-sweetened drinks sold in grocery stores, Action on
Sugar researchers reported that 79 percent of surveyed beverages contain six
or more teaspoons of sugar per can. In particular, the campaign singled out
ginger beer as one category of sugar-sweetened beverage with higher sugar
levels than expected, recommending that these drinks contain only 9 grams
of sugar per 100 milliliters.
“Added sugars are completely unnecessary in our diets and are strongly linked
to obesity and Type II Diabetes, as well as to dental caries; which remains a
major problem for children and adults,” said Action on Sugar Chair Graham
MacGregor. “Replacing sugar with sweeteners is not the answer: we need to
reduce overall sweetness so people’s tastes can adjust to having less sweet
drinks… A similar approach has successfully reduced salt intake; people are
consuming 15% less salt than they were 10 years ago, and now prefer less
salty foods… It is NOW time to do the same for sugar.”
Issue 526
