More than every second soft drink contains too much sugar

Cause of overweight: every second refreshment drink is sugared

Nutrition and health experts repeatedly warn against increased sugar consumption. Nevertheless, the sweetener is often consumed in enormous amounts, especially on sweet drinks. A recent study has shown that more than every second "soft drink" contains too much sugar.

High sugar intake damages your health

Health experts always come back to the advice: Avoid too high sugar consumption. When consumed frequently, the sweetener can lead to enormous health problems such as tooth decay, obesity, hypertension or diabetes. Sugar is often taken in large quantities over sweet sodas. Such soft drinks are often the cause of obesity. The consumer organization Foodwatch has now taken a closer look at 600 "soft drinks" and found that more than half of them contain too much sugar.

The consumer organization Foodwatch has tested 600 "soft drinks" for sugar content and sweeteners. It showed that more than every second product is over-sugared. (Image: airborne77 / fotolia.com)

Over four sugar cubes per 250-milliliter glass

More than every second so-called "soft drink" is sugared. And this despite the fact that many manufacturers and distributors have announced that they will lower the sugar content in their products.

This is the result of a comprehensive market study presented by the consumer organization Foodwatch in Berlin.

As the organization notes in a communication, 345 of a total of 600 drinks sampled (58 percent) contain more than five grams of sugar per 100 milliliters - that's more than four sugar cubes per 250-milliliter glass.

One of the main causes of obesity

Foodwatch has tested a total of 600 sodas, cola drinks, energy drinks, juice spritzers, effervescent, iced tea, near-water and fruit juice drinks from the range of the three largest retail chains Edeka, Rewe and Lidl for sugar content and sweeteners.

It showed that the sugar-sweetened beverages contained on average 7.3 percent sugar or six cubes of sugar per 250 milliliters.

Especially energy drinks are often extremely sugared, as previous studies showed. So a can can contain up to 13 sugar cubes.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sweetened drinks are considered "one of the main causes" of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

"Sugar-sweetened drinks should generally be consumed only in small amounts, because they contain many calories and can contribute to the emergence of obesity," writes the German Nutrition Society (DGE) on its website.

"Empty calories"

Currently, almost seven million people in Germany live with diabetes and about every fourth adult is considered obese.

"Sugar not only provides 'empty calories' without minerals and micronutrients, but also contributes directly to the development of fatty liver and insulin resistance," warns Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Pfeiffer, Director of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutritional Medicine of the Charité Berlin.

"Children consume more sugar with sodas relative to body weight than adults. The sugar reduction is successful after worldwide experience only by legal measures, "said the physician.

Demand for sugar tax

That a sugar tax here can be a way out, apparently sees Foodwatch similar. The consumer organization called on nutrition minister Julia Klöckner to introduce a "soda tax" as in the UK.

In the United Kingdom, beverages containing more than 5% sugar have been subject to a special charge since April 2018.

A large number of manufacturers and several retail chains have therefore significantly reduced the sugar content of their soft drinks.

For example, the market leader Coca-Cola has reduced the sugar content of its Fanta and Sprite soft drinks in the UK from 6.9 or 6.6 grams to 4.6 and 3.3 grams, respectively.

In Germany, however, Fanta and Sprite still contain more than nine grams of sugar.

Federal Government relies on voluntariness

The WHO had also demanded special taxes on sugary drinks in the past.

The German Minister of Food Julia Klöckner rejects a tax rule so far and instead relies on voluntary agreements with the food industry.

According to Foodwatch, the federal government is currently working on a "National strategy for the reduction of sugar, salt and fat in finished products".

This should be implemented on a voluntary basis together with the food industry and the food retail trade. However, the federal government rejects tax incentives for reducing sugar, fat and salt.

Cuddle course of the German Minister of Food

Luise Molling of Foodwatch criticizes: "Our market study proves: Coca-Cola and Co. have little incentive in Germany to reduce the sugar content in their drinks."

According to the expert, the "cuddling course by Minister of Food Julia Klöckner", the food industry voluntarily to move to a sugar reduction, doomed to failure.

"If Ms Klöckner is serious about promoting healthy eating habits, she has to launch a British-style soda tax that includes both sugar-sweetened and sweetened drinks," says Molling. (Ad)