Experts have warned that some snacks aimed at children and marketed as healthy are high in sugar.
A report by Public Health England criticised baby and infant food manufacturers for loading their products with unacceptably large amounts of sugar and promoting them as good for health.
NHS advice states that any product with more than 22.5g of sugar per 100g has a high level of sugar. There is no recommended sugar intake for children under the age of four, but it is advised they avoid all foods and drinks with added sugar. For those aged 4-6, it’s 19g of free sugar a day, which refers to any added sugar and sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purees.
We take a look at the sugar content in five baby snacks.
67.5 g of sugar per 100g
Marketed as one of your child’s five-a-day, they contain more sugar per 100g than some chocolate bars. Eat two and a half boxes of these raisins and you will have consumed the same amount of sugar as you would eating a Mars Bar.
54.8g of sugar per 100g
These count as one of your five a day and all sugar is naturally occurring, but that’s nearly two teaspoons a bag. It all comes from the apple puree and apple juice, which makes up 91% of the product.
26.9g of sugar per 100g
Made of oats, dried bananas, malted barley extract and raisins, there’s nearly 7g of sugar in each individual finger. There’s no added refined sugar, it’s all naturally occurring, and that equates to just under two teaspoons of sugar a bar.
37.8g of sugar per 100g
Aimed at kids 12 months and over, these have nearly two teaspoons of sugar in each 20g pack. However, it says this is the same amount of natural sugar as you’d find in an apple.
39.8g of sugar per 100g
Designed to be eaten from four months, this fruity porridge has only naturally occurring sugars from the banana, apple and orange in its ingredients. That still works out at more than two teaspoons of sugar in each 25g portion.
38.7g of sugar per 100g
There’s no added salt or sugar in this powder designed for babies from seven months, but the apples and blackberries bump the overall sugar content up. Aptamil says it selects only the highest quality grains and fruits, and it’s these that make up the 10g of sugar per bowl.
