A small 250ml can of Red Bull contains 27.5g of sugar, a medium 355ml can contains 39g of sugar and a large 473ml can contains 52g. In other energy drinks, a 380ml bottle of Lucozade Energy contains 17.1g of sugar, a 500ml can of Rockstar contains 24g of sugar and a 500ml can of Monster Energy 55g of sugar.
A teaspoon of sugar is around four grams.
The Oral Health Foundation is currently running National Smile Month, a campaign to promote good oral health and wellbeing through healthy lifestyles.
The charity campaign is being supported by some of the nation’s best-known brands and retailers, including Oral-B, Wrigley, Philips, Regenerate Enamel Science, POLO Sugar Free and Curaprox.
“As consumers, we are now faced more choices than ever before, and this is especially true when it comes to taking care of our diet,” adds Dr Carter.
“It is so important that we are aware of nutrition and sugar content and are able to make smart and positive choices about the food and drink we buy, not only for ourselves but our family and children too. Not only do energy drinks have exceedingly high levels of sugar, they also have no nutritional value, so there really is no need to consume them.”
Earlier this month, the Oral Health Foundation called for severe changes to be made to the amount of sugar that energy drinks can include, in addition to how they are labelled, after uncovering dangerous levels of dependency.
The research showed more than one in four (26 per cent) Brits need energy drinks to wake up in the morning while a similar number say they help to get them through the day (23 per cent). Some thought it suppressed appetite (8 per cent) while other admitted to feelings of addiction (4 per cent).
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