Thursday, 10 Oct 2024

Call to ban milkshakes containing 39 teaspoons of sugar

Toby Carvery’s Unicorn Freakshake came number one on a list published by Action on Sugar of sweet milkshakes served at UK restaurants and fast food outlets.

One serving comes in at a whopping 1,280 calories – 64% of a woman’s recommended daily intake of 2,000 calories.

There are 39 teaspoons of sugar in the shake, which is more than six times the recommended amount for a seven to 10-year-old, and more than four cans of Coke.

An average 25-year-old would need to jog for nearly three hours or vacuum the house for five hours to burn off the calories.

Two Five Guys freakshakes – milkshakes with assorted toppings – came in second and third with 37 and 30 teaspoons in the banana and chocolate mix-in and cherry mix-in, respectively.

Action on Sugar said the survey’s findings revealed “grotesque levels of sugar and calories” as it called for a ban on all milkshakes exceeding 300 calories per serving.

The campaign group also wants every product sold in high street restaurants and fast food chains to publish obvious traffic light labelling on menus and online, with a red label for anything containing more than 11.25g sugar per 100ml.

Public Health England is looking to companies to reduce the amount of sugar in products by 20% by 2021.

Action on Sugar chairman Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London, said the cuts need to go further.

He said: “These very high calorie drinks if consumed on a daily basis, would result in children becoming obese and suffer from tooth decay – that is not acceptable.

“Despite milkshakes being incorporated into the Public Health England’s (PHE) Sugar Reduction Programme as part of the government’s childhood obesity plan, it is clear from our survey that much more needs to be done than a 20% reduction.

“These high calorie milkshakes need to be reduced immediately below the 300kcal per serving.”

Kawther Hashem, a researcher for the campaign group, based at Queen Mary, said it is “shocking this information is hidden from the consumer, who would struggle to find it”.

She said the government needs to introduce legislation to force companies to be more transparent about nutrition.

Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England said the food and drink industry has a “key role in helping to tackle” childhood obesity and tooth decay by reducing sugar in products.

The UK’s top six sugar-laden milkshakes:

1. Toby Carvery Unicorn Freakshake: 39 tsp (156g) sugar per serving – 1,280 calories

2. Five Guys Milk Shake base + banana + chocolate: 37 tsp (149g) sugar per serving – 1,073 calories

3. Five Guys Milk Shake base + cherry: 30 tsp (120g) sugar per serving – 975 calories

4. Pizza Hut Salted Caramel Ice Cream Shake: 24 tsp (95.4g) sugar per serving – 738 calories

5. Harvester Cookie Monster Freakshake: 24 tsp (95g) sugar per serving – 1,067 calories

6. Toby Carvery Cookie and Chocolate Freakshake: 24 tsp (94g) sugar per serving – 961 calories

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