Watchdog Warns About Sweetener-laden Drinks

The Consumer Council has said that it tested 51 drinks available in the market and found that many low-sugar and zero-sugar drinks were rich in sweeteners that could be harmful if consumed in large quantities.

It said weight-conscious consumers choose artificially sweetened beverages as a substitute for sugary drinks, but studies had revealed that such drinks may actually increase sweet cravings and make people prone to consume sweeter food or food with stronger taste.

In Hong Kong, food manufacturers and food importers can only use or sell food products using the 10 permitted sweeteners but it does not stipulate the permitted amount.

The watchdog said those trying to lose weight, should limit the intake of drinks containing both sugar and sweeteners.

Their study also found that a lot of sports and energy drinks contained sweeteners irrespective of their natural sugar contents.

Unless there is a huge energy consumption which requires speedy energy and electrolyte replenishment, consumers should not drink this kind of beverage excessively. They could even be diluting it with plain water and drinking it sparingly.