soft drinks

what exactly is a soft drink?

Here is a summary of the key issues that exist within soft drink production, so that you can make an informed choice about the products you buy.

We think you've got a right to know.

Sweet tooth

Sweeteners are used to replace sugars, particularly in diet products. As with all additives, there is a calculated level that is considered to be the safe amount (that someone could consume every day of their life). This level is called the Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), and depends on how much you weigh.

Of all sweeteners, saccharin poses the greatest risk of exceeding ADI. This is because of its low ADI and widespread use. Use the following guide:

Acceptable Daily Intake for each kg (2.25lb) of your weight:
                                                           
For a 16kg (2.5st) Toddler: 5mg

For a 40kg (6st) 11 year old: 80mg

For a 50kg (8st) Woman: 200mg

For a 70kg (11st)  Man: 250mg - 350mg

To keep within the ADI, try to ensure that there is a mix of sweeteners across the products you eat and drink. These are the main ones. Look out for them in the ingredients list of soft drinks and many other products too, especially diet, low sugar or low calorie versions:

• Aspartame (E951)
• Saccharin (E954)
• Acesulfame k (E950)

What's in a name?

To help you spot sweeteners, the law now says that packs should include 'With sweeteners' or 'With sugar and sweeteners' with the product name. But as some soft drink brands put the legal product name on the back of the pack, that's where they put the sweeteners statement too. So they’re not always easy to spot.

A cautionary tale

You may have seen the following statement on some product labels, and wondered what it means:  "CAUTION - CONTAINS A SOURCE OF PHENYLALANINE".

This is to help a small number of people who suffer from a condition known as Phenylketonuria (PKU), which means their bodies cannot break down the amino acid phenylalanine, found in the sweetener Aspartame.  However, Aspartame presents no problem for most people.

The Co-operative own brand products.

If The Co-operative own brand soft drinks contain sweeteners, or sugar and sweeteners, we tell you so, with the product name on the front of the pack. This doesn't mean that our own brand products contain more sugar or sweeteners than other brands; but we believe in making it easier for you to spot them at a glance. On most other brands you'll need to look on the back of the pack.

How many calories?

You'll find this on the front of our packs too. Many other brands only tell you this on their diet versions.

What about saccharin?

There is a chance that some people might exceed the acceptable daily intake level (ADI) for saccharin. To help you keep an eye on just how much saccharin you or your children are having, The Co-operative brand labels tell you how much there is in a typical glassful, at the bottom of the nutrition panel.

And sugar?

Unlike some brands which don't give you the nutrition information, The Co-operative brand drinks give you the full picture about how much sugar they contain, with a reminder about when is the best time to have sugary drinks.

Advice to parents

Frequent drinking of sugary drinks and fruit juices may lead to tooth decay and poor nutrition. Try to restrict these drinks to meal times and replace them with sugar free drinks or water. Avoid giving sugary drinks or fruit juices to babies. And remember, it is important to brush teeth regularly.

For further information contact Customer Relations here.