Misleading food labelling

[WillyG]

My local sports centre has a cafe, stocked full of sweets and chocolate. I was please then to find these protein balls, with 'no added sugar'.
So how come they are 45% carbs? Turns out they're made from dates and concentrated grape juice.
Of course they don't need to add sugar!
I really think manufacturers need to be called out on their misleading labelling.

 

[Inka]

That’s not misleading @WillyG It’s true. They haven’t added sugar because the dates, etc are naturally sweet.

Pasta has no added sugar either but it still has lots of carbs.

 

[helli]

It is very common to label sweet food as having "No added sugar".
Whilst I agree it is misleading to those who assume this includes all sugar but sadly it is not the case.
I used to think processed food labelled as "high in protein" meant mean "mostly" protein. It just means "more protein than similar products" and rarely means less carbs.
For example a "High Protein Low Sugar" Grenade Killa Bar, is 34% carb and 33% protein.

 

[silentsquirrel]

It's crucial to read every word carefully, especially when someone is trying to sell you something. No added sugar, but lots of "natural" sugar.

Just like the crucial words "up to" used in a claim on another thread, and in many TV ads of various products. Something very expensive is claimed to lower blood glucose by up to 40%. They hope people will only see the 40% and think the great expense will be worth it. Even if it lowers BG by just 1% it fulfils their claim!

Buyer beware!

 

[Jasmin2000]

Just look at the nutritional info to get the real info.

In UK manufacturers must list available carbohydrates (usually just called 'carbohydrates') and sugars (usually given under carbohydrates as '...of which sugars)

'Carbohydrates' include the sugars, starches and all the carbs we need to be careful of, but not fiber. Sugars are the simple sugars, glucose, sucrose, lactose, etc. and can be intrinsic to the product or added sugars.

I know US has a different method though, where carbohydrate is called 'Total carbohydrate' and includes both sugars and fiber.