Sugar, oh honey, honey...

While sugar can be lovely in many various, tempting forms (since I just finished baking a cake, I know what I'm talking about), with the obesity on the rise worldwide it does not wonder that the authorities are trying to regulate more strictly consumers' intake thereof. On 31st of March BEUC released a report supporting WHO's target of ensuring consumers receive less than 10% of total energy intake per day through sugar. (see WHO opens public consultation on draft sugars guideline) BEUC argues that the limit should be set at 5% to fully benefit consumers, e.g., this could force industry to remove added sugars, which have no nutritional value, from many products. Consumers may often mistakenly believe that the products they buy are sugar free or low on sugars, since labels 'sugar free' or 'without sugar' are currently permitted when sugar was just replaced in a product with juice concentrate, honey or other sweeteners. Often, product label also does not differentiate between pointing out the content of sugars and added sugars. Transparency with regards to these practices could lead to the lowering of sugar levels in products.