Sweet poison
11 March, 2012
Guest reporter: Peter FitzSimons
Co-producers: Paul Waterhouse; Sarah Bamford
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Guest reporter Peter FitzSimons presents a very personal and bittersweet story that could change the way we eat forever.
Experts now say sugar is toxic and we’re eating so much it’s driving obesity, heart disease and even cancer.
The new claims suggest sugar is addictive and should be regulated like tobacco and alcohol. Yet every single day we are absorbing it into our bodies and feeding it to our children.
In fact, on average, every Australian eats about 33kgs of sugar a year. And Peter FitzSimons has had his own battle with sugar and weight gain. The former Wallaby piled on the kilos after he hung up the boots.
Now at age 50, he takes on the challenge to cut sugar from his diet, with amazing results. Peter’s investigation asks is sugar really bad for you, or is it the victim of bad PR?
Also, the world’s most popular chef and food campaigner tells Sunday Night what he thinks about sugar during his visit to Australia this week.
Click here for Bellamy's statement to Sunday Night
Click here for the Heart Foundation's statement to Sunday Night
The statement below was provided by Nestlé Australia Limited to Sunday Night:
Milo is a “formulated supplementary food” under the FSANZ Food Standards Code for the very good reason that 20 gms of Milo in a glass of reduced fat milk is good for you. It provides six essential vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, Vitamin C, vitamin A, protein, iron, and a huge shot of calcium. 60 percent of children 9-16 in Australia are not getting enough calcium*. A 20g serve of Milo contains 160mg of Calcium, and when added to Milo can boost the calcium content of milk by nearly 70 percent.
Getting GI Foundation approval is a rigorous process and far from guaranteed.
There is less than one teaspoon of added sugar in a glass of Milo and milk; over half the total sugars come from the milk alone.
And finally, and probably most importantly, using the 100gms stat is completely misleading – it’s absurd to suggest that anyone would eat 15 heaped teaspoons of Milo in one sitting.
It’s a pity that some people seem to have decided to try to trash the reputation of this wonderful, nutritious, iconic Australian product (invented here, made here) instead of encouraging kids to drink it in milk.
2007 Australian National Children 's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey
More information
Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food Australia
Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food Australia Facebook Page
You can purchase the book from: Borders or www.booktopia.com.au
Further viewing:
Today Tonight: Sugar shakedown
