Sugar in the news again as Tesco removes sugary drinks

The Daily Mail has reported today that the UK's biggest supermarket Tesco is axing some of the most popular children's drinks brands due to their added sugar content.

The crackdown will fall on September 7, just after the end of the children's summer holidays, with sugary drinks such as Ribena being replaced by no-sugar alternatives.

This was immediately welcomed by health campaigners who challenged other supermarkets to follow suit.

Sugar content has always been a topic of fierce discussion in the health and fitness industry.

It has been linked to obesity, heart disease and liver damage.

However, its benefits include short term bursts of energy and the maintenance of healthy skin by restoring the balance in the skin's oils.

Steve Whittemore, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, spoke to UNICISE about the consumption of sugar on a day-to-day basis.

He said: "As many natural foods contain sugar it cannot and should not be avoided.

"Fruit, vegetables, pasta and rice all contain sugar and as part of a balanced diet you should not avoid eating sugar completely.

"You should not, however, add sugar when it is not necessary. If you are always adding sugar to foods then it will do more harm than good in the long run as you are essentially adding calories."

He added that soft drinks brands often contain added sugar and you should always check the label to see how much.

"I'm not saying avoid these completely, just don't have them all the time. We all love to indulge every now and then. It's human nature."

UNICISE SAYS:

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