Beverage grading is not advisable to guide "self-indulgence".

Recently, many consumers in Shanghai have discovered a new thing when buying milk tea, coffee and other beverages - some drinks have added a label with the words "ABCD for nutritional choices" on their introduction pages. The corresponding grade letters are enlarged to remind consumers of the nutritional status of the drink.

In April this year, in order to help the public choose healthy food, the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission launched the "First Batch of Nutrition and Health Guidance Pilot Projects", including the pilot of "nutrition choice" grading labels for beverages. This is the first time that the mainland has launched a beverage nutrition classification label.

So, how are drinks graded? How should consumers refer to the ratings? With these questions, the reporter of Science and Technology Daily interviewed relevant experts.

The lowest grade is used as the final criterion

The classification is mainly based on the content of four ingredients in the beverage, namely non-dairy sugar, saturated fat, trans fat, and non-sugar sweetener. According to the content per 100 milliliters of beverages, from high to low, it is divided into four levels of ABCD, and the recommended degree is decreasing gradually.

For example, beverages rated as Grade A must not contain more than 0.5 grams of non-dairy sugars, 0.75 grams of saturated fatty acids, 0.3 grams of trans fatty acids, and non-sugar sweeteners per 100 milliliters. A beverage with a minimum non-dairy sugar content of 11.5 grams per 100 millilitres, or a saturated fat content of at least 2.5 grams or trans fat is more than 0.3 grams will be rated as the lowest grade D.

Zang Jiajie, director of the Department of Nutrition and Health of the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced that the four ingredients based on the classification need to be consumed in moderation or limited amounts. For example, a beverage with a non-dairy sugar content of 5.7 g/100 ml is graded as C; Saturated fat content of 1 g/100 ml, grade B; The trans fat content is 0.2g/100ml, and it is rated A and does not contain added non-sugar sweeteners. The final rating of the beverage is based on the worst-performing item, the non-dairy sugar content, which is assigned a grade of C.

The specific index data of different grades of the four components are mainly based on the existing relevant standards. For non-dairy sugars, for example, there are 3 boundaries for this grade, namely 0.5 g/100 ml, 5 g/100 ml and 11.5 g/100 ml.

Ruan Guangfeng, deputy director of the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, introduced that the 0.5g/100ml standard for non-dairy sugar is the limit that can be defined as "sugar-free" in the current national standard for prepackaged food in mainland China (GB 28050-2011); 5g/100ml is the limit that can be defined as "low sugar" in the national standard; 11.5g/100ml is the boundary of "high sugar" in the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)". In addition, in order to avoid "injuring" the milk, the sugar is classified as non-dairy in order to exclude the lactose contained in the milk.

The A-grade standard in this classification also implements a "one-vote veto system" for non-sugar sweeteners, as long as the beverage contains non-sugar sweeteners, then it cannot be rated as A-grade. Ruan Guangfeng introduced that non-sugar sweeteners are often referred to as sugar substitutes, such as erythritol, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, etc. At present, there are more than 20 kinds of non-sugar sweeteners approved for use in mainland China, and many sugar-free foods and sugar-free beverages contain non-sugar sweeteners.

Ruan Guangfeng said that there is still some controversy about the weight loss effect of sugar substitutes in all walks of life. He believes that the sugar substitutes approved for use in the mainland are generally safe.

The Healthy China Action (2019-2030) proposes to encourage urban people with high sugar intake to reduce the consumption of sucrose-containing beverages and sweets, and choose natural sweeteners and sweeteners to replace beverages and foods produced from sucrose.

"If you want sweetness and don't want sugar, sugar substitutes are still the best choice at the moment. After all, in addition to satisfying the stomach, food also has a very important function - to provide happiness. Nguyen Quang Phong said.

Classification labels should not be relied upon exclusively

The original intention of this classification is to allow consumers to understand the nutritional value of beverages more intuitively and make healthier choices. But grading is not a panacea, and consumers can't rely solely on it to stay healthy.

"Consumers especially should not use the grading label as a 'shield', thinking that if they choose a grade A or B drink, they can 'let themselves go' and drink openly." Nguyen Quang Phong said that the amount of drink is an important factor that affects the total intake of a certain ingredient. For example, if a drink rated D contains 12 grams of non-dairy sugars per 100 millilitres, if only 200 milliliters are consumed, the total intake of non-dairy sugars will be 24 grams. However, if you drink a 500ml B drink with 5 grams of non-dairy sugars per 100 milliliters, then the intake of non-dairy sugars will reach 25 grams, but more.

In addition, there are differences in the nutrient content of different types of products, which can lead to large differences in grading. For example, whole milk contains saturated fat, and if it is too much or causes the beverage to be rated lower, this does not mean that whole milk is less nutritious. "For example, an Americano might be rated A, but if you add some whole milk to it and make it a latte, it might be rated C. However, the nutritional value of the two is not so different, and it may be healthier to add milk. Nguyen Quang Phong said.

He suggested that for most ordinary consumers, it is necessary to look at grading rationally and avoid blindly following the trend. "Now sugar control and fat loss have become a trend, but in fact, for many people who are normal and not obese, there is no need to strictly control sugar and lose fat. Before controlling sugar and losing fat, it is necessary to reasonably assess the physical condition. Under the premise of moderate amounts, healthy people do not have to worry too much about eating once or once in a while. Nguyen Quang Phong said.

He suggested that in addition to referring to the grading label, consumers can also learn to read food nutrition labels and ingredient lists to choose the food that suits them. For example, if your blood sugar is high, try to eat less sugary foods; If blood lipids and blood pressure are high, it is necessary to limit the consumption of fatty and salty foods.

link

"Rate" a drink

There are precedents in other countries

The mainland is not the first to label beverages with nutritional grading labels. At the end of 2022, Singapore passed a bill to classify pre-packaged beverages in the retail market into four levels of ABCD based on sugar content and saturated fat content. Grade A has the lowest sugar content and saturated fat content, and Grade D has the highest. Grade C and D beverages must be labeled on the front of the drink, and A and B beverages can be labeled or not. In addition to complying with the above requirements, promotional advertising in any form is prohibited for beverages rated D.

Compared with the nutrition classification of beverages in Shanghai, the nutrition classification of beverages in Singapore does not include trans fat content in the assessment index, and the content of each ingredient used to divide different grades is also slightly different, but both places stipulate that A-grade beverages must not contain sweeteners. In addition, in order to exclude lactose from milk, the Singapore grading scheme specifically describes how the sugar content of lactose and galactose beverages is calculated, i.e. the total sugar content is subtracted from the lactose and galactose content, and the resulting value is used as the final sugar content of lactose and galactose beverages.

While lactose is excluded from the sugar classification criteria in Singapore's beverage nutrition classification, its main source, pure milk, especially whole milk, tends to be rated C or D due to its high saturated fat. This is at odds with the public's perception of the health and nutrition of milk.

Excessive intake of saturated fats increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, so dietary guidelines around the world have given restrictive recommendations for their intake. But on the other hand, milk is a good source of protein and calcium. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022) recommends that normal adults should consume 300 grams to 500 grams of milk and dairy products per day. Therefore, healthy people should drink no more than 500 ml of milk per day without paying too much attention to its saturated fat content. If you drink more than 500ml, it is best to choose low-fat or skim milk to avoid excessive intake of saturated fat, which can have health effects.