AIBU to think the Sugar Smart app should be taken with a grain of salt...

[TattyDevine]

The skids have seen the ad for the sugar smart app (change 4 life) on the TV and asked if they could have it. So I put it on my phone.

The general idea is that you scan the barcodes of various food products you have bought, and it tells you how many sugar cubes are in them. Children are supposed to have no more than 6 a day (or 5, or 7, depending on their age, but around 6)

All good. So I scanned the Nutri Grain breakfast bars, 4 sugar cubes (oops, best not buy them again), the Cocoa Pops bars which I thought would be crawling with the stuff but only have 2 (I sometimes let them have one after dinner so that can remain) and some various other things which seemed sound.

Like the crazed addict that I am, I looked for other stuff to scan! Ikg box of organic rolled oats...here's where I got a bit suss. The app tells me it has 5 sugar cubes in it (the whole box, not per serve, so not scary). The ingredients say 100% whole organic rolled oats, so indeed they do not have 5 cubes of sugar in them.

Obviously I understand the difference between "sugars" and "sugar" (sugars being carbohydrate, complex or otherwise), but the app says you only have to worry about added sugar, so I can't help but feel a product with no added sugar should not come up with a sugar content at all. Perhaps they will tweak this.

Not to be outdone, I scanned my 4 pack of San Pelligrino sparkling mineral water (not flavoured in any way, just fizzy water) and that apparently has 2 sugar cubes which is odd as it is water and has no calories at all of any kind.

Now in a huff so I scanned the cardboard envelope a DVD from Amazon turned up in. It has 3 sugar cubes

Well, I best not feed them that then...

Do we need an app to tell us that there is sugar in a food? Read the label!!

The "of which sugars" bit on a label refers to natural (eg lactose) as well as added sugars (sucrose). Labelling does not differentiate between the two, so this could be very misleading to consumers.

No, but we definitely need one that tells us there is sugar in it when there isn't!

Hmm change4life is apparently sponsored by Nestlé. Wonder if their products are properly set up as 'per serving' while rivals products have a more alarmist figure because they show the sugar per box.

Where's my tinfoil hat?

Notquite I was thinking the same thing (do you have a spare hat?)

The concept is great with informing us of how much sugar is in everything as, generally, we do need to cut back.
However, I absolutely detest the whole 'sugar BAD, sweetener GOOD'.
Sweeteners are shit, I wish companies would stop ruining nice food/drinks by adding that bitter crap.

Ooh, you are right, they are sponsored by Nestle.

Gawd.

I will delete it in a minute. Honest. I just need to scan my son's bookbag to see how much sugar is in it.

And Danone.

Surely they don't want us to scan a Petit Filous?

There's no sugar in coffee tables, I've checked. So we're safe there.

Can't vouch for sideboards though, bet they're full of sugar.

The whole change 4 life campaign is shit. In the stuff I got sent suggestions included swapping real butter for processed margarine and changing from full sugar drinks (incl pure fruit juice) to artificially sweetened drinks

Petit Filous are my bugbear - bloody loaded with sugar! Wish manufacturers like Nestle would reduce it down.

Yes the whole swapping thing was so dumb. Don't practice portion control kids, swap your muffins for scones and only drink diet coke.

Plus they had some Disney thing to get kids moving which was just awful.

Oh god the info on here is crap: www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/cut-down-on-fat-when-you-shop.aspx

Don't drink full fat milk, but make sure you load up with healthy treats like bagels and currant buns. (No icing so it's ok)

DH snd I have been scanning right left and centre. We ever get any results. In fact he sat there so long scanning a packet of biscuits the other night he fainted from hunger.

Let us all vow to just use our common sense and if we want to experiment with the 6 cubes thing, count to 30g of sugar a day in terms of added sugar (so not oats, or envelopes, but the "sugars" section of things with added sugar), give or take a couple of grams...

I wonder if Nestle Change4Life will at some point allow us to scan our own Breastmilk?

The change for life people went to my dcs school the other day for some reason every child came out saying there was 8cubes of sugar in Diet Coke. I think the message may have been slightly mixed up

If it's sponsored by Nestle.....

If it is sponsored by Nestle then no, breast milk will not be recognised, ever!

I know the app developers. As commented earlier, the app was released early to coincide with the advertising campaign, and still doesn't have a full data bank of products. The designers are adding these as we speak!!! It topped the download charts when it came out u til it was knocked off the top slot by....Candy Crush!! . The app guys love the irony!! It may not be perfect yet but it is getting people talking about it and using it, and encouraging youngsters to think more about their sugar intake then all good.