Tea drinks are becoming increasingly popular. Nutrient profiles, that is, how much and which sugars, deserve close attention. As well as synthetic and non-synthetic ingredients, additives and flavorings.
The market survey conducted by GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade) considers 61 products on the shelf in Italy. Industrial, retail and discount brands.
Tea drinks, the parameters of comparison
The comparison is between lemon and peach tea drinks, decaffeinated drinks in the same flavors, and green tea drinks. 50 conventional and 11 organic products, which are to be favored both for the use of ingredients grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides and for the absence of chemical flavorings.
The compared labels reveal to us:
- the (by no means negligible) amounts of added sugars and the energy value,
- The quality of the process. Infusion of tea or addition of its extract to water,
- The nature of the flavorings (natural or synthetic),
- Additives, where present. (1)
The standard portion and shrinkflation
A 250-mL glass is the standard serving size considered to standardize the comparison of calories and the amount of sugars contributed by each of the 61 beverages packaged in various sizes (250 mL to 1.5 liters). Four exceptions are recorded in this regard, with two suspected of
shrinkflation
(less product, same price).
– Coop reports the portion, on all formats, at 200 ml. Unrealistic in the 500 ml bottle, as in the 1.5 liter bottle,
– Coca-cola relates the nutritional values to one serving of its Fuse Tea to the entire 400 ml bottle. And it is more believable since people who buy a 400-500 ml bottle of tea tend to consume it in full, underestimating its calories, as if it were water,
– Ferrero reduces the standard bottle from 500 ml to 400 ml, and in the only organic version of Estathè green tea it displays ‘contains two servings’ on the label. Ad hoc cleverness, since the tea itself in the 330 ml bottle refers the portion to the entire contents.
– Eurospin offers an example of shrinkflation in offering the finest Blues brew tea in a 200 ml bottle, the extract tea in the 250 ml size.
5 teaspoons of sugar in a glass
Pure tea drink-without added sugar and/or sweeteners-is still rare in Italy. And the amounts of added sugars are often dangerous to health, in light of EFSA’s recommendations to minimize their intake. (2)
In fact, the amount of sugar in a glass of tea drink comes close to 30 grams. An outsized amount, equal to 5 teaspoons of sugar.
Sugars, mixes and alternatives
Among conventional drinks use sugar alone 6 lemon tea drinks and as many peach-flavored, five among decaffeinated, and one among green teas.
Otherwise, the sweet taste is provided by various mixes of sugar and other ingredients and/or sweeteners, including acaloric ones.
The most common combination is sugar, fructose, sucralose, adopted by Belté, Eurospin, Spinner, Lissa, and Consilia. St. Benedict in this mix replaces fructose with fructose-glucose syrup.
To be consumed in moderation
It is useful to remember that the three sweeteners in these combinations require moderation in consumption:
Fructose is subject to a daily intake of less than 50g, on pain of increased risk of fatty liver disease (hepatic steatosis) and decreased insulin sensitivity. If consumed in excess, it can also cause increased cholesterol and triglycerides.
Glucose-fructose syrup is ultrarich in fructose, and has all the drawbacks just mentioned.
Sucralose (E 955) is calorie-free and has one of the highest sweetening powers among sweeteners. It is, however, suspected of a correlation with the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer. Subject to an ADI (acceptable daily intake) of 15 mg/kg body weight, it is prohibited in foods intended for children under 3 years of age. It should not be subjected to heat; in fact, harmful compounds can be formed above 120°C.
The charge of sweeteners
The sweetener option-to reduce the sugar consumption and caloric intake of sweet tea drinks-warrants some consideration in turn. The first sounds like a boring sermon, but it should be remembered: with small daily efforts it is possible to reduce the addiction to sweet taste and recover the pleasure of other flavors.
In the 8 selected sugar-free tea drinks the sweeteners are always in combination, three molecules in 5 cases and two in the remaining 3. Sucralose is always present, combined with
Acesulfame k (E 950). A synthetic sweetener that has always been combined with aspartame (E 951). The latter is being phased out after suspicions of potential carcinogenicity and increased risk of cerebrovascular disease emerged in some studies. LINK Acesulfame k is also, moreover, associated with the risk of coronary heart disease and cancer, although EFSA discarded the carcinogenic risk at the maximum daily dose of 9 mg/kg body weight.
Sodium cyclamate (E 952). It is subject to an ADI (acceptable daily intake) of 7 mg/Kg body weight. Like aspartame, it is the subject of controversy. In some people, a variable fraction of absorbed cyclamate can be converted to (toxic) cyclohexylamine by bacteria in the gut microbiota. Animal studies have shown that cyclohexylamine degrades testicular tissue and sperm. Finally, recent studies have investigated the link between the consumption of intense sweeteners and altered gut flora, which causes disruption in the regulation of glucose levels.
Sweeteners, the alternatives
Alternative sweeteners to those mentioned above are used only in Ferrero’s sugar-free products. Peach and lemon zero Estathé in fact employ the following.
- Steviol glycosides from stevia (E 969), with zero glycemic index, zero calories and heat stability. Again, however, it raises questions about the risk of chemical residues generated by the process of extracting steviol glycosides from the plant. In addition to the presence of sucralose, in the above-mentioned Ferrero products.
- Erythritol (E 968). Made from fermented corn or cornstarch, it is a poly-oil that is not assimilated by the body. With very low glycemic index and zero calories, it can cause intestinal bloating. He has recently been presented in the press as not recommendable, but we have devoted an in-depth study to the case that dispels suspicions for now. (3)
Sweetness, even absent, in organic tea drinks
Organic tea drinks also differ from conventional tea drinks in the use of alternative sweeteners to sucrose. Six products contain grape juice, one agave juice and two no sweetener-the top, for those who are free from the bondage of sweet.
Agave syrup, however, should be consumed in moderation. It is too rich in fructose (which participates in fatty liver disease or metabolic syndrome, as we have seen), which is why it has a low glycemic index. It provides 3.5 kcal/g. It is also very sweetening, so it gets used to a very sweet taste.
The two organic green teas from Estathè and Galvanina, on the other hand, add cane sugar, which is essentially similar to beet sugar.
The additives and the dye
Two additives are present on almost all products, together, alone or combined with another additive. In the organic selection, they appear in only 4 out of 11 products.
These are very common substances in foods:
- Ascorbic acid (E 300) is the synthetic vitamin C. It is used as an antioxidant to prevent browning of the product.
- Citric acid (E 330). Citric acid is a natural acid found in most fruits. On an industrial scale, this acidity regulator is produced through the controlled fermentation of a fungus (Aspergillus niger), which can produce mycotoxins and trigger allergic reactions in mold-sensitive people. The most common risk related to this additive, however, concerns tooth damage, especially among heavy consumers of carbonated beverages, children first and foremost.
Trisodium citrate (E 331) and calcium citrate (E 333) also appear in the sample . Both are salts of citric acid (E330). Therefore, the considerations referred to the latter apply.
In only one case-Carrefour Classic Peach Tea-we found a coloring agent, sulfite-caustic caramel (E 150b), to be avoided in case of sulfite intolerance.
Artificial flavorings almost everywhere
The taste of tea, lemon or peach is almost always achieved with the addition of synthetic flavorings. Few exceptions: 7 out of 50.
Decaffeinated tea drinks are blatantly aimed at children, as evidenced by the puppets on the label. However, even here (in addition to the additives mentioned above) synthetic flavorings always appear. Among the 6 peach flavors, only Estathè employs natural flavors. Among the 6 lemon-flavored ones, however, two do: Consilia and Lissa.
Otherwise, we find only natural flavors in five cases:
- Coop, which employs natural peach and tea flavor in its peach-flavored drink, also in a sugar-free version
- Fuzetea (Coca-Cola), which in its two flavors peach&rose and lemon&lemongrass employs natural flavors and extracts (of rose and lemongrass, i.e., lemongrass),
- Consilia Know How to Choose, decaffeinated lemon tea.
In organic beverages, on the other hand, the flavorings are always natural, as required by Regulation 848/2018, which prohibits the addition of artificial flavorings but also numerous additives.
Labels and mysteries
Labels as is often the case raise some concerns about correct consumer information. Four examples.
- Ferrero for its Estathè organic green tea drink does not specify in the ingredient list that the flavorings are natural, although this is expected in organic production. He simply accounts for it on the neck of the bottle.
- Coca-cola for its Fuse Tea lemon&lemongrass does not indicate the amount of lemongrass extract, also highlighted on the label as an ingredient.
- Preservative-free is a claim on almost all products, but they contain an antioxidant. Tending to outlaw.
- Gluten-free is another popular claim on the bottles examined, definitely outlawed, as we have seen. (4)
Marta Strinati
Notes
(1) Information on additives is based on work published by Altroconsumo and the French consumer magazine 60 Millions del consommateurs
(2) Marta Strinati. The harmful role of sugars in the diet, EFSA opinion. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 1.3.22
(3) Gianluca Baccheschi. Erythritol, the sweetener under indictment. Some clarity. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 3.4.23
(4) Dario Dongo. Gluten-free tea? GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 22.12.17
Professional journalist since January 1995, he has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic surveys on food, she has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
