FAQs

Why are sugary soft drinks so bad for you?

Sugary soft drinks are packed with of ‘empty kilojoules' which means they contain a lot of sugar but offer no nutritional value. For example, a 600ml bottle of soft drink contains 16 teaspoons of sugar and about 1,000 unnecessary kilojoules. Just over half of sugars in Australians' diets come from sugary drinks. 

As a liquid, sugary drinks don't fill us up in the same way food does. Over time, sugary drink consumption can lead to weight gain and overweight or obesity. Sugary drinks can also affect taste preferences, particularly among children, enhancing their preference for sweet foods.

Being above a healthy weight can lead to serious health problems in the long-run, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. Consumption is also linked to an array of oral health issues, including dental caries and erosion. See our infographic to find out what sugary drinks are doing to your body.

 

What about fruit juice?

A standard serve of fruit juice is 125ml or ½ cup, according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. If you have juice, limit it to this amount or better still, drink water and eat the whole fruit instead – it's more filling and has the added benefit of fibre.  

How do I know how much sugar is in a drink?

All packaged drinks have a nutrition information panel on the label that tells you the amounts of certain nutrients (e.g. carbohydrate, sugar, protein, fat) in that product per serve and per 100ml .For example, a 375mL can of Coca Cola contains 39g (nearly 10 teaspoons) of sugar. 

Remember some bottles or cans of soft drink contain more than one serve, so you may need to multiply the ‘per serve' amount provided by the number of serves in the bottle or can. 

Remember that the ‘sugars' listed includes ‘added sugar' (like that added to soft drinks) and ‘natural sugar' (like the naturally occurring sugar (lactose) in milk). The main ingredient in sugary soft drink is added sugar. For other products, also looking at the ingredients list helps determine if sugar has been added to the product or is naturally occurring.

Is it okay to have ‘diet' soft drink instead?

Although diet soft drinks do not contain the same level of kilojoules as classic versions, we still recommend choosing water or low fat milk instead. Water is the preferred source for hydration and low fat milk provides important nutrients such as calcium and protein, especially for children.

Why recommend low fat milk if sugar is the issue?

Full fat dairy products, including full cream milk, contribute significant amounts of unhealthy saturated fat to the Australian diet. Saturated fat is the type of fat that clogs your arteries and increases your risk of heart disease. Choosing low fat dairy products is a simple way to reduce the amount of saturated fat you and your family are eating.