New app helps reveal amount of sugar in food and drink

Image source, change4life

Image caption, The app scans barcodes of thousands of food and drink products to reveal total sugar content

A new mobile phone app has been launched to try help people understand how much sugar is in their food and drink.

The app, from a government group called Public Health England, works by scanning barcodes to reveal the total sugar content, in cubes or grams, of more than 75,000 products.

The group hope it will help combat tooth decay and obesity by encouraging families to choose healthier options, by showing just how much sugar is in everyday food and drink.

It's thought young children are eating three times more sugar than the recommended limit at the moment.

Image source, Thinkstock

Image caption, A small carton of juice can contain more than five cubes of sugar

How much sugar?

  • a can of cola - nine cubes of sugar
  • a chocolate bar - six cubes of sugar
  • a small carton of juice - more than five cubes of sugar
  • Four to six year olds - five sugar cubes or 19g
  • Seven to ten year olds - six sugar cubes or 24g
  • 11 year olds and above - seven sugar cubes or 30g

Source: Public Health England