Obesity Policy Coalition Warns Lunch Box Fruit Drinks Have More Sugar Than Coca-Cola

Many popular children’s lunch box juices contain more sugar than Coca-Cola and parents should steer clear of them, health groups say.

The Obesity Policy Coalition is warning parents that with the school holidays ending, they should not assume products like juice are healthy just because of claims that they have “less sugar” or are “free from artificial colours and flavours.”

The group’s analysis of the lunch-box size poppers has found many have the equivalent of five or more teaspoons of sugar in them, with several containing even more sugar than the same size serving of Coca-Cola.

Obesity Policy Coalition executive manager Jane Martin said parents could be forgiven for thinking fruit drinks were healthy.

“I’ve just been in the supermarket and they are all packaged up and discounted for ‘back to school’,” she said. “I used to put them in my kids’ lunch boxes because they are very convenient and you think it’s good for them.

“Most parents wouldn’t dream of putting soft drinks in their kids’ lunch boxes, yet many of these drinks are just as high in sugar or even worse.”

Read more at Sydney Morning Herald.

{Matzav.com}