Ex-sugar addict worried about food labelling
It's as a new food certification comes into force today.
A former sugar addict from Thornaby thinks the key to tackling the nation's sweet tooth is education.
Luke Frost gave up sugar at New Year after realising he was addicted, and has since lost 2 stone.
He was hit by crippling withdrawal symptoms, including headaches and craving.
It’s as a new certification’s rolling out on food labels to identify low free sugar content.
Sugarwise will be the only mark certifying foods that derive no more than 5% of their energy from free sugars – ‘simple’ sugars that are broken down quickly by the body, are accompanied by little fibre and other nutrients.
26-year-old Luke said:"Everyday it was like being hit with a sledgehammer, the headaches and the cravings.
"I can promise people now, two weeks down, you'll forget that you were ever addicted to sugar at all.
"I know when I was in school, we were learning to make cupcakes.
"Start now teaching kids what it is we're eating.
"We've become accustomed now to sugar being there, but yet we don't really want to tackle it.
"The packaging says 'less sugar' and we don't want that because it doesn't look right, the label is blue instead of red.
"I think the new labels will only make a difference if people know exactly what the label is.
"You're going to have to educate people, possibly in supermarkets.
"Put leaflets out, educate people as to what that label actually stands for."
Rend Platings, Sugarwise Founder, said: “I was shocked to hear that my daughter’s generation may be outlived by their parents.
"It’s not that we don’t know about the dangers of sugar, we do; the problem relates to our lack of access to healthier choices.
"I am hoping that Sugarwise will have the potential to change things in the same way Fairtrade and Organic labels have – both have successfully driven up demand and availability of products in their categories.
"We would all benefit if the same was the case for low free sugar products.”