Whether you’re a sweet or a savory person, chances are, in the past 10 years, your sugar consumption has increased, as a new study by Cambridge University has found that food and drinks have been getting sweeter over the last decade.
According to the researchers, their study shows “the amount of added sugars and non-nutritive sweeteners in packaged foods and drinks has grown a lot,” in this time frame.
They add that these findings are especially true in middle-income countries, such as China and India, as well as in the Asia Pacific, including Australia.
It’s not just added sugars that are a concern, but non-nutritive or ‘artificial’ sweeteners too, which are typically found in ultra-processed foods, like cookies, ice cream, and soft drinks.
Using global market sales data, the researchers documented the quantity of added sugar and non-nutritive sweeteners in packaged foods and drinks from 2007 to 2019.
They found per person volumes of non-nutritive sweeteners in drinks are 36% higher globally, while sugars in packaged food are 9% higher.
