We are all aware that sugary drinks are not good for you, but are we aware to what extent they are bad for us? Through vast research The Guardian is claiming that the sugar quantities in such products are at the heart of the “diabesity” epidemic affecting young people in Britain.

Following in the light of ‘France and 4 other European Countries, 67 health charities, medical royal colleges and public health bodies’ believe the government should consider a health tax on sugary drinks. With the Guardian claiming that in the UK we eat and drink ‘around 70% more sugar than the government says we should, and the obesity figures have been fairly stable since they peaked in the early 2000s’, it seems a little hypocritical that the government would not consider blocking these substances from being an every day part of people’s lives.

However it is not just the usual, obvious drink giants to be blamed, there are many branded drinks who use their labels to suggest they are healthier for us than they really are. Below are a few tricks of the trade that we believe you should look out for when purchasing drinks:

1)  Just because the label says ‘healthy’, it does not mean that it is good for you in all areas. For example, many of the drinks that claim to be healthy still contain around 40% of a child’s suggested sugar intake for 24 hours, a large amount to take in a small drink.

2)’‘  Don’t be fooled when companies advertise added vitamins. Although vitamins are essential, for example many advertise added vitamin C, it does not mean that the sugar quantity in the product is not unnecessarily high. Also, you may find that you are already consuming the added vitamins in these drinks through your daily diet. Try and look for a balance in the products you are buying.

3) Lastly and most importantly, although companies are forced to abide by regulations when it comes to displaying the figures of content within their products, they still have worked out ways to ‘soften’ the truth. For example, often they display the amount of sugar for a half size of the bottle that consumers are actually drinking. Thus, at a glance making us believe what we are drinking is ‘half as bad’.

After seeing how many ml the nutritional information is referring to, always check how many ml the product itself is. 

Always check to see all the other typical value quantities in the drink, don’t just take its wording on the packaging as the ‘final word’.

 Our advice at New You Boot Camp is to be label smart, always check the quantities the product is claiming to represent. Secondly, keep an eye on the amount of sugar you are consuming daily, often you will find you can happily cut down on the bitter-sweet substance which can have a negative effect on ones overall health.

Finally as we always have believed, the best drink for us is water. Remaining hydrated has incredible effects on the body, promoting a healthy digestive system & having an effect on our immediate concentration and energy levels. Annie Anderson, professor of public health nutrition atDundeeUniversityagrees: “We need to promote water drinking: it’s cool, refreshing, thirst-quenching and healthy!”

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/04/sugar-drinks-health-policy-tax

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/aug/04/demon-drink-war-on-sugar

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/20/sugar-deadly-obesity-epidemic

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/water-drinks.aspx

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/04/observer-editorial-regulate-food-industry-sugar