2024-03-19 16:56:44
We already knew that processed meats increased the risk of developing colon cancer. Less obvious, it might also affect the level of sugar ingested during the day. This is what reveals a recent study carried out by the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) with the Food Observatory – Oqali, published on Tuesday.
Health authorities are taking stock of the presence of sugar in all its forms in the main processed foods consumed daily by the French. From cakes to dairy products, prepared meals or sauces, all categories are on the menu. First assessment: despite a decline in sweetening ingredients used in products over the past ten years, they remain present in the vast majority of foods. A quick overview of the most juicy figures to sink your teeth into.
77% of products contain sugar
Sucrose, sugar, glucose-fructose syrup, aspartame, dextrose, molasses syrup, fruit juice concentrate, etc. There are many forms of sweeteners or sweet taste vectors divided into eleven different classes by ANSES: the sucrose class , the lactose class, other sugars, syrups, fruit juices and concentrates, caramel, honey, other sugar carriers, so-called filler sweeteners, intense sweeteners, and flavorings.
Not all of them are equivalent from a health point of view, but they are all found in our food. Thus, out of 54,000 processed products studied between 2008 and 2020, ANSES listed 77% which contain at least one sweetening ingredient or sweet taste vector.
58% of products contain sucrose
Among this large majority of products containing sweetener, 58% contain sucrose. This is so-called table sugar, the one found in most foods “all products combined” specifies ANSES in its study.
For comparison, 24% contain syrup-type sweeteners and 20% fruit juices and concentrates. It is also sucrose that we find in most products that we would not suspect of containing sugar.
100% cereal bars
Cereal bars are not necessarily part of this unexpected category because, in fact, 100% of cereal bars contain sucrose. If you want to reduce your table sugar intake, avoid this type of food, 99% of which also contains sweeteners such as syrups.
Cold meats, mayo and broths, these other sweet products
You probably thought that these products were free from sugar. It’s wrong. ANSES notes that 71% of cold sauces such as mayonnaise, low-fat vinaigrettes or other tomato-based sauces contain sucrose, even though they are classified in the salty products section.
The same goes for broths and soups, not necessarily the best allies for a balanced diet, at least not too sweet. Nearly half of them, precisely 45%, offer table sugar in their recipe. Also surprising, 30% of charcuterie products, and in particular sausages, dried sausages and hams, are composed of at least one ingredient from the sucrose class. Even if fewer of them are concerned by the presence of sugar in the syrup class, they remain 18%, which is more than for chocolate-based products (16%) or jams (15%).
Two types of products almost spared
Those that fare the best in terms of sugar are cheese products and especially margarine, 0% of which contain traces of sucrose. The 1% of cheese products concerned are products offering bread sticks to accompany or based on filled cheese bites, explains ANSES.
Aspartame on the decline
The most notable progress made over the period analyzed is the use of intense sweeteners, therefore with “very high sweetening power” without being too high in calories. Among them is the well-known aspartame, which is found for example as a sweetener in so-called “light” or “zero” products for zero sugar. According to the study, 0.4% of the food products studied use aspartame, compared to 1.8% ten years ago, even though it is still found in 31% of sweetened products.
Finally, note that the study only examines the nature and frequency of the ingredients included but not the quantities used, “rarely indicated on the packaging”. It is therefore not possible to draw conclusions regarding public health.
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