According to an analysis by the UFC-Que Choisir association, products without added sugar sometimes contain a lot of fat, and are therefore not good for your health.
- UFC-Que Choisir also notes that certain products “without added sugar” contain more salt, like certain mayonnaises.
- Some products contain sugar under another name: sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose or even maltose.
Added sugar is bad for your health. “Excessive sugar consumption is associated with heart disease, stroke, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, cancer and dental caries.”remind the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. To limit the risk, some people choose to reduce their sugar consumption and turn to products without added sugar. According to’consumer association UFC-Que Choisir, that might not always be a good idea. Low-fat alternatives are sometimes higher in fat.
Sandwich bread, cereals: “no added sugar” but too much fat
The association has analyzed the composition of around a hundred labeled products “no added sugar” and classic products. She notes that the absence of added sugars is compensated by an addition of fat. For example, UFC-Que Choisir cites Léa Nature’s Karéléa sugar-free chocolate bar: it contains 47% more fat, compared to Lindt’s dark chocolate bar, with fleur de sel. As for cereals, the conclusion is similar: products filled with peanut butter from the Funky brand contain 42% more fat, compared to their equivalents. Bakery products are not spared, thus, the sandwich bread of the brand La boulangère bio has 121% more fat, compared to other sandwich breads, which are not “without added sugar”.
Products “without added sugar”: beware of additives!
The UFC-Que Choisir magazine also notes that certain products contain additives, such as sucralose, acesulfame K or aspartame. These last are “suspected of deleterious effects on health, in particular through a disturbance of the intestinal flora“, recalls the association. It cites in particular Light and Free yoghurts, zero peach iced tea from Auchan and 0% mint syrup from Carrefour.
Some products are really “no added sugar”
However, there is some good news in the results of the UFC-Que Choisir. The association notes that jams and compotes “without added sugar” do not add additives or fats in their products, but fruit. She cites jams from the Bonne Maman or Andros brands, and Pom’potes or Carrefour Bio compotes.
How much sugar can you eat?
Eating products that are naturally high in sugar is not a problem if they are part of a varied and balanced diet. For example, there are vegetables high in sugar, and fruits are also naturally high. It is the quantity of added sugars that it is important to reduce on our plate. L’World Health Organization has published recommendations on this subject: it would be preferable to limit sugar intake to 10% of the total energy intake, whether in adults or children, or even ideally at 5%. That’s 25 grams of sugar a day, or about six teaspoons.
