Shanghai has it too! The "red, orange, and green" reminders for supermarkets, my mom no longer has to worry about me drinking the wrong beverages!

Remember we reported not long ago that beverages in Singapore have begun to be graded!

At that time, many netizens left messages saying: Please promote it!

Here it comes!

Shanghai pilots warning labelling of sugary drinks

Excessive intake of sugary drinks is harmful. In order to improve the health awareness of citizens, the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention has formulated the "Implementation Plan for the Pilot Application and Effect Evaluation of Health Warning Labels for Sugary Drinks" and carried out a sugary drink survey project in 159 pilot supermarkets and convenience stores in the city. In the past few days, a citizen walked into a pilot supermarket in Jiading and found that the "red, orange, and green" logo was hung in front of the beverage shopping shelf here, reminding consumers to buy sugary drinks appropriately.

Peng Hui, a staff member of Jiading District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that adults consume no more than 25 grams of added sugar per day. Currently, some beverages on the market contain more than 25 grams of sugar per bottle. "For example, a certain brand of milk tea contains 10.9 grams of sugar in 100 milliliters, and a bottle of milk tea is 300 milliliters, which is far higher than the standard."

The warning signs hung this time are divided into three colors: orange, red and green, and are mainly aimed at sugary drinks and sugar substitute drinks.

The orange label indicates that the daily intake of added sugar should be less than 25 grams

The red logo reminds you that excessive intake of added sugar can increase the risk of tooth decay and overweight. It is recommended not to drink or drink less sugary drinks

The green label guides citizens on how to read the nutrition facts table and pay attention to the sugar content of the beverage.

The reporter found that some citizens buy beverages mainly based on taste, and do not pay attention to the ingredient list. Ms. Zhang, a citizen, said: "I usually don't look at the ingredient list when buying beverages. I buy what I like and only judge its sugar content based on the taste ." Some citizens also said that when buying beverages, they would give priority to low-sugar or sugar-free beverages , believing that such beverages are healthier.

Peng Hui reminded that although some beverages claim to be sugar-free, they contain artificial sweeteners, and the content is not low . "Most beverages contain artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and acesulfame potassium. Drinking too much of these additives may cause intestinal flora disorders, especially for diabetic patients, which will increase blood sugar levels."

Disease control staff recommend that when buying beverages, citizens should first look at the nutrition label. If the sugar content is not marked, you can look at the carbohydrate content in 100 ml. Usually, the sugar content is close to the carbohydrate content. For example, if 100 ml contains 5.2 grams of carbohydrates, the sugar content is about 5 grams. If the added sugar content exceeds 5 grams per 100 ml, it can be considered a sugary drink.

At present, the Jiading District Center for Disease Control and Prevention has carried out the "Application and Effectiveness Evaluation of Warning Labels for Sugary Beverages" work in 14 supermarkets in 12 towns and streets in the district, and will extend it to 100 large and medium-sized supermarkets and convenience stores in the district by the end of this month.

How to control the intake of sugary drinks?

Since 2019, a trend of low sugar, zero sugar and sugar substitutes has emerged in the Chinese beverage market. Pre-packaged beverage industry giants such as Yili, Jianlibao and Nestlé can be seen, and freshly brewed tea brands such as CoCo and Nayuki have also joined.

"This health awareness of controlling sugar intake is very good, but consumers are easily misled by vague new concepts or advertising. They should carefully read the nutrition label on the package to determine how much sugar is in the drink and drink it in moderation." Dr. Li Yanyan from the Obesity and Metabolic Disease Prevention and Control Department of Shenzhen Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Center emphasized that for non-essential beverages, drink less if possible, or don't drink them if you can.

How to drink beverages? The editor summarizes the key points:

1. Look at the ingredient list : the closer the white sugar is to the front of the ingredient list, the higher the content is, or look at the value of the sugar content column in the nutrition facts table. Beverage sweeteners are generally sucrose, fructose syrup, acesulfame potassium, etc. A 330 ml bottle of cola contains 36.96 grams of added sugar, which is close to the maximum recommended daily sugar intake for the human body.

2. Drink more boiled water : Replace sugary drinks with boiled water, mineral water, etc., and develop the habit of carrying a water bottle with you so that you can always stay hydrated even when you go out. Drink less fruit juice, try to eat fresh fruits, and develop a good habit of recording your daily sugar intake.

There are warning signs for sugary drinks in Shanghai supermarkets

Next time you buy a drink

Will you use it as a reference for selection?