Fruit juices have too much sugar – study

Some fruit juices and smoothies contain nearly five teaspoons of free sugar, researchers warned today.

The high levels published in the BMJ Open analysis show that many fruit juice drinks would cross the threshold for the government’s new sugar tax.

However under the proposed legislation they will exempt along with milk-based drinks.

Campaigners called for tougher action to reduce free sugar levels in fruit juices and smoothies.

Last week Public Health England said only one smoothie a day could be counted towards the five fruit and vegetables because of their high sugar content.

The latest research sought to identify the free sugars, such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, added to juices or generated through concentration techniques.

Researchers at Liverpool University analysed some 158 fruit juice drinks. They found sugar content of 10.7 per 100ml among 21 "pure" fruit juices – compared with an average sugar content of 5.6g/100ml. In smoothies the average content was 13g/100 ml.

They suggest that parents dilute fruit juices with water – or ensure they purchase unsweetened juices. And, they say, these should only be drunk between meals.

Fruit should preferably be eaten whole rather than as a juice, they say.

One of the researchers Kawther Hashem, from Action on Sugar, said: "It is highly concerning that many parents are still buying fruit juices and juice drinks for their children thinking they are choosing healthy products; children should be given as little juice as possible (maximum of 150ml/day). These juices rot children’s teeth and give children a ‘sweet tooth’ that will affect their general health in later life.

“What is more concerning are the products with added sugar and glucose-fructose syrup. We call on all manufacturers to stop adding more sugars to already sweet juices, particularly in children’s products and to restrict children’s drinks to only 150ml bottles/cartons."

How much sugar is hidden in drinks marketed to children? A survey of fruit juices, juice drinks and smoothies BMJ Open 24 March 2016; doi 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010330 [abstract]