APP REVEALS THE SUGAR CONTENT OF 75,000+ PRODUCTS WITH A SIMPLE BARCODE SCANE
BY MARNI FOGELSON-TEEL – INHABITAT
Sugar is in basically every food and beverage these days, from obvious culprits like processed sweets to seemingly healthier treats like yogurts and even condiments. Public Health England, part of the Untied Kingdom’s Department of Health estimates that young children are eating three times more than the recommended sugar limit (which, by the way, is about the equivalent to one juice box for tots). To reduce this consumption and simply build consumer awareness of sugar, the organization launched their Change 4 Life campaign, which includes the new Sugar Smart app. Parents simply download the free app and scan the barcode of one of more than 75,000 products to reveal just how much sugar is lurking inside. The app also offers tips and hints for cutting down on sugar consumption. Considering that the average five year-old eats and drinks his own weight in sugar over the course of the year, childhood obesity is considered an epidemic in multiple countries, and tooth decay and type 2 diabetes have also become a rising concern, an app may be just the right, digital way to reach and warn the population about the dangers of sugar. While the app is geared toward UK citizens, we hope an American (or compatible) version is on the way — we certainly need the help as well!
The app should include not only sugar content. It should also include salt content, identify pesticides, and other questionable ingredients like additives and products that are pumped up with antibiotics and substances that are toxic and bad for your health. I would pay good money for such a service. And, as an added benefit the corporations that put these unhealthy ingredients in their products would then be forced to change, or lose market share and be forced out of business. …A phone that you could update regularly to keep track of all the crap these corporations put in our food. I’m all for it.