Guest guest Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1752342.ece Hello sugar... food is getting sweeterJon Ungoed-Thomas and Mohammed Khan Food companies have doubled the amount of sugar they add to some oftheir most popular products - including soups and cereals - in anattempt to attract sweet-toothed customers. Some of the biggest increases in sugar have been in breakfast cereals,and even wholemeal bread has become far sweeter. It now routinelycontains nearly a teaspoonful of sugar in every three slices. Experts warn that the trend, which can be traced back over threedecades, is likely to get worse as sugar prices fall and salt levels arereduced by health watchdogs. In 1978 Kellogg's Special K had 9.6g of sugar per 100g, but this has nownearly doubled to 17g - a similar level to vanilla ice-cream. Soaring consumption of sugar has been blamed for high levels of toothdecay and increases in diabetes. Many scientists have implicated it inrising rates of obesity. Ian Tokelove, a spokesman for the Food Commission, which campaigns forhealthier foods, said: "Most of us are eating too much sugar, but we arebeing swamped with it in our food. "We naturally have a sweet tooth and manufacturers have been quick touse that to try to increase sales in a crowded marketplace. It's cheapto use and it's been one of the first things to be added when companieswant to make a product a bit different." Food companies maintain that sugar forms a useful part of a balanceddiet, but an article in the British Medical Journal in 2005 warned:"Sugar is as dangerous as tobacco and, in terms of world health, farmore important." The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which launched a crack-down on salt twoyears ago, wants companies to reduce the amount of added sugar in foodproducts and is even considering imposing legal limits. The Sunday Times discovered the increases in sugar levels by analysingdata in an industry handbook on the nutritional value of foods - McCanceand Widdowson's The Composition of Foods, which has editions covering1978 to 2002. The 1978 edition shows that cans of tomato soup contained on average2.6g of sugar per 100g in 1978. By contrast, many soups today havedouble that amount. A can of Waitrose tomato soup on sale last week had6.4g of sugar per 100g, with almost three spoonfuls of sugar in everybowl. The amount of sugar in a typical loaf of wholemeal bread rose from 2.1gper 100g in 1978 to 2.8g per 100g in 2002. A loaf of Hovis wholemealbread now has 3.7g of sugar per 100g while Sainsbury's wholemeal breadhas 3.5g per 100g. Kellogg's has increased the sugar content in some of its best-sellingcereals. Cornflakes now have 8g of sugar per 100g compared with 7.4g in1978; All-Bran has 17g compared with 15.4g in 1978, and Rice Krispieshave 10g of sugar, up 1g since 1978. Much of the extra sugar in the modern diet is blamed on processed foods.A study by Which? released earlier this month found Asda sticky chillichicken contained 19.2g of sugar per 100g and Tesco crispy beef withsweet chilli sauce had 23.1g per 100g. Jack Winkler, professor of nutrition policy at London MetropolitanUniversity, said that despite government efforts to reduce sugar in themodern diet, it was likely to increase because European Union tradereforms were reducing its price. "It's hard to think of a more irresponsible policy than cutting theprice of sugar in the middle of an obesity epidemic. It meansmanufacturers will be putting more of it in their products, not less,"he said. It is not just manufactured foods that have seen their sugar contentrise. Supermarkets have also been selecting sweeter varieties of fruitand vegetables to appeal to customers. According to McCance and Widdowson, between 1978 and 2002 the amount ofsugar in a banana rose from 16.2g per 100g to 20.9g; the quantity in apear rose from 7.6g per 100g to 10g; the content for carrots rose from5.4g per 100g to 7.4g. Waitrose said its tomato soup was one of a number of products beingreformulated with lower amounts of added sugar. Jenny Walton, a nutritionist for Kellogg's, said some of its cereals hadbeen made with extra sugar because other ingredients, such as salt, hadbeen reduced. Hovis said: "Hovis Wholemeal does contain a small amount of brown sugar.The quantities of sugar do not affect the nutritional benefits of thebread." Sainsbury's said that it was reviewing a number of products to see ifthe sugar and salt levels could be reduced. See what's free at AOL.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 Oh, I certainly believe this! I've noticed that when I eat something like Wheaties or Total(and I don't put sugar on it)that in the last few years it's seemed Sweeter than it use to. I think it really started to go downhill fast back in the 90's when the reduced fat thing got hot. In order to keep the taste, when the manufacturers took the fat out of foods, they replaced it with Sugars! Not only did they take away something we need but they replaced it with something you Don't need more of. Insanity..... Has anybody done a study about the correlation between when the reduced fat foods thing exploded onto the market and the sharp increase in the diabetes problem in the culture? I would bet money that the one had a direct impact on the other. sluggy - cyndikrall RealSimple Friday, May 25, 2007 2:52 PM [RealSimple] Food is getting sweeter http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1752342.ece Hello sugar... food is getting sweeter Jon Ungoed-Thomas and Mohammed Khan Food companies have doubled the amount of sugar they add to some of their most popular products - including soups and cereals - in an attempt to attract sweet-toothed customers. Some of the biggest increases in sugar have been in breakfast cereals, and even wholemeal bread has become far sweeter. It now routinely contains nearly a teaspoonful of sugar in every three slices. Experts warn that the trend, which can be traced back over three decades, is likely to get worse as sugar prices fall and salt levels are reduced by health watchdogs. In 1978 Kellogg's Special K had 9.6g of sugar per 100g, but this has now nearly doubled to 17g - a similar level to vanilla ice-cream. Soaring consumption of sugar has been blamed for high levels of tooth decay and increases in diabetes. Many scientists have implicated it in rising rates of obesity. Ian Tokelove, a spokesman for the Food Commission, which campaigns for healthier foods, said: " Most of us are eating too much sugar, but we are being swamped with it in our food. " We naturally have a sweet tooth and manufacturers have been quick to use that to try to increase sales in a crowded marketplace. It's cheap to use and it's been one of the first things to be added when companies want to make a product a bit different. " Food companies maintain that sugar forms a useful part of a balanced diet, but an article in the British Medical Journal in 2005 warned: " Sugar is as dangerous as tobacco and, in terms of world health, far more important. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2007 Report Share Posted May 25, 2007 I have a great recipe for home made cold cereal. If anyone would want it, I can send it to you off list. So far anyone who tasted it, loved it. And you control what is going into it. I don't remember, maybe I sent it already? Barbara Oh, I certainly believe this!I've noticed that when I eat something like Wheaties or Total(and I don't put sugar on it)that in the last few years it's seemed Sweeter than it use to.sluggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 27, 2007 Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 Yes, I've seen this same information already, there's no question about it. The most recent thing I've seen is the FDA giving approval to Fritos to be able to advertise that they don't use trans fats, they use "healthy" fats, implying of course, that Fritos are HEALTHY for you. Big business buys their way to what they want yet again... Cyndi In a message dated 5/25/2007 1:35:44 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, arcure writes: Has anybody done a study about the correlation between when the reduced fat foods thing exploded onto the market and the sharp increase in the diabetes problem in the culture? I would bet money that the one had a direct impact on the other.sluggy See what's free at AOL.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 27, 2007 Report Share Posted May 27, 2007 I don't remember seeing it, can you post it to the list? i'd love to have it. Cyndi In a message dated 5/25/2007 2:08:40 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, barbara3 writes: I have a great recipe for home made cold cereal. If anyone would want it, I can send it to you off list. So far anyone who tasted it, loved it. And you control what is going into it. I don't remember, maybe I sent it already? Barbara Oh, I certainly believe this!I've noticed that when I eat something like Wheaties or Total(and I don't put sugar on it)that in the last few years it's seemed Sweeter than it use to.sluggy See what's free at AOL.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 I will send it to you off list. I don't think there is very many people interested in it. Barbara I don't remember seeing it, can you post it to the list? i'd love to have it. Cyndi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 I'd like the recipe Barbara. I could have sworn you posted it earlier in the year but I can't seem to find it in my saved emails. sluggy - Barbara RealSimple Sunday, May 27, 2007 8:20 PM Re: [RealSimple] Food is getting sweeter I will send it to you off list. I don't think there is very many people interested in it. Barbara I don't remember seeing it, can you post it to the list? i'd love to have it. Cyndi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 Yes, I think now that I did post it it once already, but.... I will send it to you tomorrow Barbara I'd like the recipe Barbara. I could have sworn you posted it earlier in the year but I can't seem to find it in my saved emails. sluggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 Could I have the recipe for the cereal too? Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2007 Report Share Posted May 28, 2007 Sure Marty, it is on it's way Barbara Could I have the recipe for the cereal too? Marty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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