Even ‘healthy’ coconut water has added sugar
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- Published: Sunday, 29 November -0001 23:58
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It has been reported that snack companies are spend 27 times more pushing sugary and salty foods than the government does on promoting healthy eating. Additionally, the food watchdog has found that coconut water could be just as harmful as many sugary drinks. However a health minister has said they will publish an assessment of its programme for sugar reduction next year.
The 18 biggest crisps, drinks and confectionary brands spent £143 million on advertising unhealthy snacks last year, dwarfing the £5.2 million budget for the main campaign to promote healthy eating, according to health groups. The Obesity Health Alliance of doctors and charities said the financial mismatch was damaging children, and urged restrictions on junk food promotion.
Curbs on advertising and promotions were among measures recommended by Public Health England that Theresa May took out of a childhood obesity strategy last year. Caroline Cerny, of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “Junk food companies are spending tens of millions of pounds a year on promoting their products. Government healthy eating campaigns can’t possibly compete . . . Something needs to be done urgently to redress the balance.”
Parliament
In Parliament answering a question on whether the 5% reduction in sugar consumption in the nine food categories contributing most to children’s sugar intake had been met, junior health minister Steve Brine said that an assessment of how far the target had been achieved would be published in March 2018. In its report Public Health England will provide a detailed assessment of progress across the product categories included in the programme as well as by individual businesses and in high selling products.
Coconut water
An investigation by the Food Standards Agency found that 60 per cent of samples of coconut water, the low-calorie drink billed as a healthy alternative to sugary juices and fizzy drinks, tested contained added sugar. The watchdog’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) analysed 12 samples of coconut water imported into Britain this year. Of those, seven contained added sugar as well as the natural sugars found in coconuts, The Grocer reported. However, coconut water companies claimed they met industry standards.
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