0:00:02 > 0:00:05There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plates.
0:00:05 > 0:00:10And the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13I think they encourage you to buy more than you need.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14And that causes a lot of waste.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Whether you're staying in, or going out,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21you've told us you can feel ripped off by the promises made
0:00:21 > 0:00:23for what you eat and what you pay for it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26How do you know that it's half price? Right.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28So what they've done, they've bumped the price up
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and they've knocked it down.
0:00:30 > 0:00:35From claims that don't stack up, to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:35 > 0:00:38we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food
0:00:38 > 0:00:42so you can be sure you're getting what you expect, at the right price.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Your food. Your money.
0:00:45 > 0:00:46This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56where this series, we're investigating some of the questions
0:00:56 > 0:00:58and problems that you've sent us to do with food.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Which, of course, is an area where not everything
0:01:00 > 0:01:02is always quite as it seems.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And, of course, there is absolutely no shortage of controversies
0:01:05 > 0:01:09and arguments about what we should or should not be having.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12And, let's face it, every day seems to bring with it
0:01:12 > 0:01:15a new scare story or a scientific study.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Sometimes totally contradicting what has been said in the past.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22You know, we can end up spending as much time talking about our food
0:01:22 > 0:01:24as actually eating it.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26And it can be really frustrating trying to make sense
0:01:26 > 0:01:28of all the information that's out there,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30which, of course, is where we come in.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Indeed it is, because today, we'll be finding out more
0:01:32 > 0:01:35about some of the food, drinks and ingredients
0:01:35 > 0:01:37that have made the headlines or caused controversy.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41So get ready for some surprises as we find the truth.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43It isn't always what you expected.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Coming up, the energy drinks that pack a powerful punch.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Why the experts, schools and parents all worry
0:01:51 > 0:01:53about just how many of them kids are knocking back.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55I really don't think you should be drinking them.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58You know, do you know how much caffeine there is in this?
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It really can't be good for you.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05And the toxic chemicals routinely used to grow our fruit and veg.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08We'll test just how many are still there by the time we buy them.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12I go around the supermarket and I see the vegetables
0:02:12 > 0:02:15and the fruit and I wonder what's been put on that
0:02:15 > 0:02:17to make it look so perfect. And I do feel nervous about it.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Now, let's talk energy drinks.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26They boast exotic-sounding ingredients like guarana,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30or taurine. They promise to make you more alert,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33to increase concentration and, of course, to boost your energy.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36And that's mainly because they're made with caffeine,
0:02:36 > 0:02:37lots of caffeine.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42Which probably isn't a problem for most adults, but could be for kids.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46If you buy into their high-adrenaline ad campaigns,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49energy drinks are designed to give that extra boost
0:02:49 > 0:02:51to anyone who's into extreme sports,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55loud music and a fast-paced lifestyle.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57In short, they're marketed as pretty cool,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00which is one reason why these drinks have become such a hit
0:03:00 > 0:03:01with another group too.
0:03:03 > 0:03:0515-year-old Corin Skinner, from Galloway,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09is especially keen on this one - Monster.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Much to the frustration of mum Susan.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15So, Corin, what do you find so attractive about this stuff?
0:03:15 > 0:03:17It's like a cool kid thing to drink.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Is it?- Yeah.- And are most of your friends using this stuff as well?
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Nobody really thinks it's bad though,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25you don't think about that, you're just thinking about,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27"Oh, I've got my five cans of energy drink."
0:03:27 > 0:03:30People like to brag about it, like, "Oh, I've got..."
0:03:30 > 0:03:33- So you drink five cans in one evening?- No, not me.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Corin started drinking energy drinks when he was 12.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So Susan initially had little idea that he was drinking them.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45I started to worry a bit when I found underneath the bed,
0:03:45 > 0:03:47along with all the usual sweet wrappers,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50one or two of these cans of high-energy drinks.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53I had some concerns about him being able to get these
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and drink them without my control.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Corin's can of choice, Monster, is the third bestselling brand
0:04:01 > 0:04:02of energy drink in the UK.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Market leader Red Bull has, in the past, been criticised
0:04:06 > 0:04:08for its caffeine levels.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10But the cans of relatively new kids on the block,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Monster, Rockstar and Relentless,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17are twice as big as a typical-sized Red Bull.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21Which means each 500ml can of these three drinks
0:04:21 > 0:04:25packs in the same amount of caffeine as two shots of espresso.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28There's no official recommendation for how much caffeine
0:04:28 > 0:04:31is safe to consume every day, but it's generally agreed that adults
0:04:31 > 0:04:34shouldn't have more than 400mg,
0:04:36 > 0:04:37But for children,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39it's around 150mg per day,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42less than one can of these
0:04:42 > 0:04:44monster-sized energy drinks.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49And, from what we've heard, an awful lot of kids don't stop at one.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Yeah, I like energy drinks because of the buzz that you get,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54but after a while, it starts to wear down.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56I used to consume about two to three a day
0:04:56 > 0:04:58and then I had to give them up.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03This school in Haydock, on Merseyside,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05banned all energy drinks in 2014
0:05:05 > 0:05:09after both staff and students raised concerns about the effects that
0:05:09 > 0:05:13it was feared they could be having on some of the pupils' behaviour.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16The children actually came to me and said,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18"We think that we ought to do something about this."
0:05:18 > 0:05:22I gave the children a one-week amnesty,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24where we warned them, took the drinks away
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and gave them back at the end of the day.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29And now, sadly, they get poured down the sink.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Dee is convinced that a year after pouring away all those confiscated
0:05:33 > 0:05:37energy drinks, it has had a dramatic effect right across the school.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39Detentions over a 12-month period
0:05:39 > 0:05:43fell by over 40% from the beginning of the year,
0:05:43 > 0:05:46before the ban, till the end of the year
0:05:46 > 0:05:47after it had established itself.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Concentration is better, the school is calmer,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53children move between lessons in a calm way.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Not that they were bad to start with, but every little helps.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01The views of the pupils themselves are a little mixed.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04I think it was quite a good thing to do to ban them
0:06:04 > 0:06:07but...I don't think they should, like, take them off them
0:06:07 > 0:06:08and pour it down the drain.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10They should wait till after school to give it you.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14In December 2014, the Food Standards Agency introduced rules
0:06:14 > 0:06:17forcing manufacturers of drinks with a caffeine content
0:06:17 > 0:06:22of over 150mg per litre to make that clear on the can.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Along with a warning explicitly stating that they are not suitable
0:06:26 > 0:06:30for children, or for pregnant or breast-feeding women.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33But Dee fears that the branding and advertising for these drinks means
0:06:33 > 0:06:36that they are being particularly targeted at young people.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Children are attracted by the names
0:06:39 > 0:06:42that come out from some of these energy drinks.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47Monster? Is that something that appeals to 20, 30-year-olds?
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Or does it appeal to somebody who's 13, 14, 12?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Some people have called for a total ban
0:06:54 > 0:06:57on children buying these kinds of energy drinks.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Because, as it stands, there's no limit on who can buy them
0:07:01 > 0:07:03or how many they can buy.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06The government's school dinners advisor, John Vincent,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08is among those who believe that
0:07:08 > 0:07:12such drinks should not be so easily available to children.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15The combination of caffeine and sugar in these drinks
0:07:15 > 0:07:18is causing all sorts of havoc to behaviour and to health,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20and we think children need to be protected.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24First step is to encourage all head teachers
0:07:24 > 0:07:26to follow the lead of those head teachers
0:07:26 > 0:07:31who've banned the consumption of energy drinks in their schools.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32The second thing, I believe,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35is that retailers should not sell these drinks
0:07:35 > 0:07:38to children under 16 years old.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41The British Soft Drinks Association, which represents
0:07:41 > 0:07:45the companies behind Relentless, Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar
0:07:45 > 0:07:50recommends high-caffeine drinks should not be marketed at under-16s,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and suggests, "on a precautionary basis,"
0:07:52 > 0:07:55that they're not consumed by them.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58They don't go far as saying they shouldn't be sold to them,
0:07:58 > 0:08:02but some retailers have made that decision for themselves.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07Manchester newsagent Sam Ulhaq says he will not sell energy drinks
0:08:07 > 0:08:08to anyone under 16.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I feel a moral duty, obligation,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15not to sell them to under-16s
0:08:15 > 0:08:17for the sake of a few pennies.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It makes my conscience a bit clearer,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22I'm not being a part of any harm to a child.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25But the companies behind high caffeine drinks -
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Monster, Relentless and Rockstar -
0:08:27 > 0:08:30all dismissed the need for any ban,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32saying they follow the industry advice
0:08:32 > 0:08:36that they should not market or advertise to under-16s.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38They told us that their products...
0:08:41 > 0:08:45..with all cans making clear both the caffeine levels
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and that these products are not recommended for children.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Some of them pointed out that they do have cans
0:08:51 > 0:08:53with smaller servings available,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56while insisting, as the British Soft Drinks Association also did,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58on behalf of Red Bull, that...
0:09:08 > 0:09:12As for Corin, he does still enjoy the occasional energy drink...
0:09:12 > 0:09:15but nothing like as often as he used to.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17I don't drink them as much.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19I might drink them, like, once a month, but that's it,
0:09:19 > 0:09:22I won't have much more because it's just a bit stupid.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29British farmers have used pesticides for decades,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33but there are those who remain very sceptical about using them at all.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36And would even question whether they're safe.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38So to find out if there is anything to worry about
0:09:38 > 0:09:42or whether pesticides really are the key to keeping prices low
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and the quality high, we've done a test.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47And I must tell you, the results are quite surprising.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53As the supermarket wars continue apace, one of the key battlegrounds
0:09:53 > 0:09:55remains the fresh fruit and veg aisle.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59And most shoppers will be looking for the freshest, the juiciest
0:09:59 > 0:10:02and most attractive specimens they can spy on the shelves.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Take the humble apple, for example.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09How many times have we taken a minute or two, or maybe even longer,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12searching amongst all the apples to make sure they don't have any
0:10:12 > 0:10:15blemishes or bruises, hoping that they'll stay fresh
0:10:15 > 0:10:17that little bit longer in the fruit bowl at home?
0:10:17 > 0:10:19I know I certainly have!
0:10:20 > 0:10:23In order to get those perfect-looking specimens,
0:10:23 > 0:10:27many commercial orchards spray their apples up to 18 times a year
0:10:27 > 0:10:30with over 30 different active substances.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34From fungicides and insecticides to herbicides and growth regulators.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37And that's what concerns Janet White from Kent.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42So much so that now, instead of buying all her fruit and veg,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46she grows most of it, without pesticides, on this very allotment.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Are you scared of pesticides?
0:10:48 > 0:10:51I'm not really 100% comfortable with them.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54I think there's so many things on food that we buy
0:10:54 > 0:10:56that we have no control over.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00I go round the supermarket and I see the vegetables and the fruit
0:11:00 > 0:11:04and I wonder what's been put on that to make it look so perfect.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06And I do feel nervous about it...
0:11:06 > 0:11:10So I just feel...I'd rather know what I was eating, where I can.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Pesticides protect plants from pests such as bugs and weeds,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19so that more of a farm's crop flourishes and can be sold.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Pesticides might kill the bugs and weeds
0:11:21 > 0:11:24but their use is so strictly regulated in Europe
0:11:24 > 0:11:26that they shouldn't cause any harm to humans
0:11:26 > 0:11:29because all that should be left on any fruit or veg
0:11:29 > 0:11:31are minute traces or residues.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35But even a small residue is enough to worry some people.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Campaigners Pesticide Action Network UK
0:11:39 > 0:11:43have linked pesticide residues on foods to health risks
0:11:43 > 0:11:46ranging from a hormonal imbalance to cancer.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50Using government figures, they found that 46%
0:11:50 > 0:11:53of fresh vegetables and fruit, such as grapes and apples,
0:11:53 > 0:11:57contained residues very much up from 25% in 2003.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00So we thought that we'd do a little experiment of our own
0:12:00 > 0:12:02and go to a nearby laboratory.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05What we'd thought we'd do is to take some of the produce
0:12:05 > 0:12:07that Janet has grown really naturally,
0:12:07 > 0:12:10alongside the equivalent from a supermarket
0:12:10 > 0:12:14and we'll test it all for pesticide residue.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Right, we've got some leeks, a lovely baby squash,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22some raspberries, some potatoes, a lovely beetroot,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25- parsnip and a cabbage.- You did well. - We did very well.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Well, I'm looking forward to taking this lot now to the laboratory
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- and I bet you'll be interested in the results.- I can't wait.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- Thanks, Janet, you've been terrific. - Thank you, Gloria.- Thank you.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Kent Scientific is one of six local authority labs in England
0:12:37 > 0:12:40which help police food safety.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42The team tests around 4,000 food samples a year
0:12:42 > 0:12:48for all kinds of safety concerns including pesticide residues.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51The importance really is because pesticides are contaminants
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and we just need to control and ensure that the levels in there
0:12:54 > 0:12:57aren't going to cause any problems if you eat the food.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59What do pesticides do to your body?
0:12:59 > 0:13:01They can do a range of things, cos they've got a range
0:13:01 > 0:13:05of chemical structures, but in the worst case, they're cancer causing.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08So, that's what we need to ensure we control.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Jon not only tests food for sale in our shops,
0:13:12 > 0:13:16but also produce arriving from abroad at UK ports.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Do you often find that a lot of the stuff you test
0:13:18 > 0:13:22- breaks that legal requirement? - Yeah, I mean, we do fail products.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25We've been looking at products coming in from Africa
0:13:25 > 0:13:29and these have been dried products, things like dry beans.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32They had a particular residue in there, which was cancer causing
0:13:32 > 0:13:34and it was well above its maximum residue level.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- Oh, that's scary, isn't it?- You're talking about hundreds of times
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- above its maximum residue level. - Hundreds above?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Hundreds of times above its maximum residue level.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43And they were rejected outright.
0:13:43 > 0:13:44They won't even come into the food chain.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47But what about our own test?
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Pitting Janet's allotment samples against their supermarket cousins,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54to see what traces of pesticides Jon can find.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57From Janet's haul, he tested her raspberries,
0:13:57 > 0:13:58cabbage,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00squash and potatoes.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04And for each of those, we matched them up with equivalent produce
0:14:04 > 0:14:07bought from the supermarket nearest to Janet's allotment.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Obviously, Janet was very keen to find out Jon's results in person.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14You'll be pleased to know that the four samples from your allotment
0:14:14 > 0:14:18- did not contain one single pesticide residue.- Thank goodness.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21That result is what Janet expected.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23But what about the supermarket produce?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26None of the produce we tested was organic,
0:14:26 > 0:14:29so pesticides will have been used when they were grown.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32But did any trace of those pesticides remain?
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Of the four supermarket samples, only one of them actually contains
0:14:35 > 0:14:38a single residue. The sample that contained the residue
0:14:38 > 0:14:42was the raspberries and, in fact, the residue that we found was below
0:14:42 > 0:14:45its maximum residue level. In fact, it was only a tenth
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- of its maximum residue level. So... - And that's acceptable?
0:14:48 > 0:14:49That's more than acceptable.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51If you're saying that three out of the four
0:14:51 > 0:14:54actually were free of pesticide from the supermarket,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57it does beg the question, is it worth all this effort
0:14:57 > 0:15:00in an allotment and growing organic, if in essence
0:15:00 > 0:15:02you can pick it up at the supermarket?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04I think the difference is that if you grow them yourself,
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- you know what you're putting in there.- Yeah.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- And you should have a lot more confidence.- I do.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Are you surprised though about the results of the supermarket ones?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14I am, cos I suppose we have this kind of fear that, you know,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- supermarket, bad...- Yeah, yeah.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18- ..home-grown, good.- That's right.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Having tested a range of products certainly from within
0:15:21 > 0:15:24the European Union, we tend to find not that many problems.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25So if you do encounter one,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28the chances are, the level is not particularly high.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31But I think if you do wash before you eat them,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34I think, essentially, you're reducing that risk.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37So having spent some time in the lab,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40I would have to say that it's very reassuring
0:15:40 > 0:15:43to know that professionals like Jon are constantly testing,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46to keep the levels of pesticide below the legal limit.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49But what have I learnt personally from my day-to-day life?
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Well, on one level I've learnt not to be too strung up
0:15:52 > 0:15:57about organic versus non-organic because, as indeed Jon said,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59thorough washing of fruit and veg actually takes care
0:15:59 > 0:16:01of most pesticides.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04I'll tell you something, in the future, I will be very diligent
0:16:04 > 0:16:06about how I prepare my food at home,
0:16:06 > 0:16:11and for once, this apple has been very well washed.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12Mmm.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Still to come on Rip-Off Britain.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20If sugar really is as bad for us as some people say,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24then which of the alternatives are any better?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26With a lot of these, sort of, natural sugar alternatives,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29there's an awful lot of bold health claims out there,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32which people are prepared to pay a lot of money for.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35And it makes me really angry, in a way, to see that.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43You know, these days, sugar has become something of a dirty word.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46In the space of just a few years, sugar's star has fallen
0:16:46 > 0:16:50and a host of alternatives have been rushed on to the market.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52The makers of these low-calorie sweeteners are desperate
0:16:52 > 0:16:54to convince us that, thanks to them,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58we can all have our cake and eat it.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01But are these sugar substitutes all that they seem?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Well, to find out, we've put five of the most popular
0:17:04 > 0:17:06to our own bake-off test.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11It's been a crucial part of our diet and our cooking for donkey's years.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14But recently, sugar has become so controversial
0:17:14 > 0:17:18you'd be forgiven for thinking it was public enemy number one.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21We're always being told we consume too much
0:17:21 > 0:17:25and some scientists say it's a direct cause of the obesity crisis.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28But if you want to cut down on sugar without missing out
0:17:28 > 0:17:32on that lovely sweet taste, what can you use instead?
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Some of the alternatives to sugar have themselves
0:17:34 > 0:17:36been just as controversial.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39So if, like Nicola Tott from Stockport,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42you're looking for a balanced diet that's not heavy on sugar
0:17:42 > 0:17:45or artificial sweeteners, the choices are limited.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47And while she's keen to keep her family healthy,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51they've all got very clear ideas about what they want to eat.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54We try and buy fresh food where possible,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57but generally, it's not that easy, especially if you're busy
0:17:57 > 0:18:02and the kids generally don't want to wait for me to cook a long meal.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06They'll only eat things that are generally bright in colour
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and that are tasty, like sugary things.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Nicola's keen to limit how much sugar is in her children's diet,
0:18:14 > 0:18:18but doesn't really know what to replace it with.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I don't know much about alternatives but I'd definitely be interested
0:18:21 > 0:18:24to find out more about it. If there was something out there that was
0:18:24 > 0:18:27sweet but really healthy and natural, then I think every parent
0:18:27 > 0:18:30would be really interested in it.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35Alternatives to sugar are widely available in every supermarket,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37some of them are natural, some of them are not.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Either way, if the makers are to be believed,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43then their products are just what Nicola is looking for.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45You two, tea's ready.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48But can they really do the same job as sugar?
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Not just in terms of taste, but in the cooking, too?
0:18:52 > 0:18:55To find out, we asked professional cake maker Trudi Combey
0:18:55 > 0:18:58to put five of the most widely available sugar alternatives
0:18:58 > 0:19:01to the test, with a little help from Nicola.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03And we'll see how each of them performs
0:19:03 > 0:19:07when they're used instead of sugar in a simple recipe.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09We're just going to use a basic shortbread.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12That's cos there's hardly any ingredients in it
0:19:12 > 0:19:14and you need a little bit of sweetness
0:19:14 > 0:19:17and there won't be much to mask that sweetness.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20And it should give us a good taste test to see whether it...
0:19:20 > 0:19:23actually, they do taste differently.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Four of Trudi and Nicola's shortbreads will be made
0:19:25 > 0:19:29with products now being touted as natural alternatives to sugar.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33And one with an artificial sweetener that's been around for decades
0:19:33 > 0:19:37and itself has had its fair share of controversy - aspartame.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40You could just grease that and that if you want with those.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Among our natural sweeteners is one with the backing
0:19:42 > 0:19:45of the biggest soft drinks company in the world.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Up to 300 times as sweet as sugar,
0:19:47 > 0:19:50stevia has already joined the mainstream
0:19:50 > 0:19:53after being used in Coca-Cola's newest variety,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57reducing the calories in one can from 139 to 89.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59It's very grainy.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04We're also testing xylitol, a natural sweetener
0:20:04 > 0:20:07that occurs in fruit and vegetables.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09It's not quite the new kid on the block,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12having been used in chewing gum for years.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16- Which cutter do you want to use for the...- Er, the stars.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20- The star?- Yeah.- And our third natural sweetener is agave nectar,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23widely touted as a healthy sweetener
0:20:23 > 0:20:27and championed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30- Oh, a nice sloppy mess, that one. Can you see that one?- Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33But the best known of the products we're testing
0:20:33 > 0:20:36is the one that's probably already in our cupboard - honey.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Lots of us have been using it as an alternative to sugar for years.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43And now, one of Britain's most famous cereals has swapped
0:20:43 > 0:20:46at least some of its sugar for honey too.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49In 2014, the manufacturers of Sugar Puffs announced
0:20:49 > 0:20:52that they were going to reduce the sugar content
0:20:52 > 0:20:56and replace some of it with honey and change the name too.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Manufacturers Halo Foods told us
0:20:58 > 0:21:01they've been cutting the cereal's sugar content for years
0:21:01 > 0:21:04and it now has a third less than it did 10 years ago,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07which they say makes it significantly healthier.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11But is honey, or indeed any of our natural alternatives,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13a healthier option than sugar?
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Well, Trudi and Nicola are testing them all out in their shortbreads.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20We asked Tanya Haffner, from the British Dietetic Association,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24whether these substitutes are really the key to replacing sugar for good.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26With a lot of these sort of natural sugar alternatives,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30there's an awful lot of bold health claims out there on the market,
0:21:30 > 0:21:33which people are prepared to pay a lot of money for.
0:21:33 > 0:21:37And it makes me really sort of angry in a way to see that.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41We've seen a lot of manufacturers recently
0:21:41 > 0:21:44starting to use honey, for example, instead of sugar
0:21:44 > 0:21:48in some of the products and this really ties in with the fact that
0:21:48 > 0:21:53consumers are really looking for something that is more natural,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55but we've got to be really careful with this term, cos "natural"
0:21:55 > 0:21:57does not always mean that it's good for you
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and honey is a prime example of that.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It's got the same chemical structure as table sugar,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06so it's treated by the body in exactly the same way.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10So, no difference, in terms of its effect on your health.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14And if honey isn't the altogether healthier sweetener
0:22:14 > 0:22:18some people might have hoped, Tanya says the celebrity favourite
0:22:18 > 0:22:21agave nectar may not be a better choice than sugar either.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22Sorry, Gwyneth!
0:22:22 > 0:22:26In the agave, you've got a higher fructose content
0:22:26 > 0:22:30and that has been reported to be more beneficial
0:22:30 > 0:22:33for your blood sugar levels, but in actual fact,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35we have no evidence for that.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39So, in my mind, as dieticians, we would say it's no different
0:22:39 > 0:22:42from table sugar, in terms of your health.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Tanya is slightly more positive about xylitol,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48which, despite its chemical-sounding name, is natural.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51This is xylitol, it's an extract from a plant,
0:22:51 > 0:22:56it's not calorie free, it's got 30% less calories than table sugar,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58so slightly better.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01It's also slightly more slowly absorbed into the bloodstream,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03which is a good thing.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But what does our dietician make of stevia,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09which sounds too good to be true?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It has virtually zero calories and is completely natural.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16It's 200 to 300 times sweeter than table sugar,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19so we only need to use a very small amount.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22It can be used in cooking, so it's stable, for example,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24in baking and cooking, which some of the other
0:23:24 > 0:23:26low-calorie sweeteners are not.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31But some people have found stevia leaves a bitter aftertaste,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35which is why manufacturers like Coca-Cola choose to blend it
0:23:35 > 0:23:36with a lower level of sugar.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Meaning although stevia itself is calorie-free,
0:23:39 > 0:23:42the products it's in may not be.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45So, it seems all these natural alternatives
0:23:45 > 0:23:47have their pros and cons.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51But the only real way to find the sugar substitute that's right for you
0:23:51 > 0:23:55is to taste it. So back in Stockport, Trudi and Nicola are ready
0:23:55 > 0:23:58to take their shortbreads out of the oven and do just that.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02As far as they're concerned, neither the xylitol or the agave nectar
0:24:02 > 0:24:04make good shortbread.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06That was horrid and that was horrid.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09The shortbread with the artifical sweetener - aspartame,
0:24:09 > 0:24:11doesn't do so well either.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14That was very sweet.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16And the shortbread made with the honey...
0:24:16 > 0:24:19That one's just horrid and doughy.
0:24:19 > 0:24:23Which means that by far the most successful sugar-free shortbread
0:24:23 > 0:24:24was the one made with stevia.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I think the stevia was my favourite.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30In baking, in baking terms,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32it resembled the sugar the most.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34It's a pleasant taste.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39It's not quite...the same taste as the sugar,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42but it isn't an unpleasant one.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45I would say the stevia was my favourite as well.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47It tasted quite sweet,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50not as sweet as the sugar, but still sweet enough.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Now, of course, our experiment was highly subjective.
0:24:55 > 0:24:56And used in other ways,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59or with a bit more practice and tweaking of the recipe,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02all these sugar alternatives could do a useful job.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05And Nicola's already thinking of other ways she could use them.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09We do have, like, Greek yogurt with a honey.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13So perhaps a Greek yogurt with fruit and the stevia could work.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15They'd probably eat that.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And, possibly, I would consider using stevia in a cup of tea.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24It's unlikely any of these alternatives
0:25:24 > 0:25:27could ever replace sugar entirely
0:25:27 > 0:25:29and, indeed, Sugar Nutrition UK,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31the group that represents the sugar industry,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33would say they don't need to.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35It told us that table sugar is just as natural
0:25:35 > 0:25:37as the alternatives we tested,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40adding that all of these are comprised of glucose,
0:25:40 > 0:25:42fructose or sucrose,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and "the body does not differentiate
0:25:44 > 0:25:47"between any of these different types of sugar."
0:25:47 > 0:25:49It went on to stress that...
0:25:56 > 0:25:58What's more, it says government figures show
0:25:58 > 0:25:59that over the last decade...
0:26:14 > 0:26:16But if you are worried about your sugar consumption,
0:26:16 > 0:26:19rather than cut it out completely,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21the advice from the British Dietetic Association
0:26:21 > 0:26:25is to gradually reduce the amount you take in.
0:26:25 > 0:26:26I've done it within my family.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28You start to reduce it really gradually
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and your taste buds get used to that.
0:26:30 > 0:26:34But don't use some of the natural alternatives,
0:26:34 > 0:26:35like agave syrup,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37believing that they're going to be beneficial to your health
0:26:37 > 0:26:40or have less calories, because they don't.
0:26:40 > 0:26:41And, in buying those,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43the only difference to you will be on your purse,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45where you'll be paying more money for them.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54Here at Rip-Off Britain,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57we're always ready to investigate more of your stories
0:26:57 > 0:26:58on any subject.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00You can write to us at...
0:27:08 > 0:27:10Or you can send us an e-mail to...
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Remember that The Rip-Off team is ready and waiting
0:27:17 > 0:27:19to investigate your stories.
0:27:24 > 0:27:25Well, as we've seen today,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28it isn't always easy to get the whole picture
0:27:28 > 0:27:29about the foods that we eat.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Indeed, some of the information that's around
0:27:31 > 0:27:32may not even be the full story,
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and yet, that top line may have stuck in our minds
0:27:35 > 0:27:37so vividly over time
0:27:37 > 0:27:40that it just becomes something that we assume is definitely true,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43- when, in fact, that might not be the case at all.- Totally.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46But, you know, the one that surprised me probably most of all
0:27:46 > 0:27:48was the test that we did on those pesticides,
0:27:48 > 0:27:50because we've become so used to people telling us
0:27:50 > 0:27:54that supermarket fruit and veg is absolutely covered in chemicals,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57- that you end up believing that it's true.- You do.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59And yet, when we went to the lab,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02there really wasn't much difference between all the produce
0:28:02 > 0:28:04that had been grown with pesticides and the ones that hadn't.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Well, I'm sure we'll all continue to get
0:28:07 > 0:28:09conflicting reports on what's safe to eat
0:28:09 > 0:28:10for many years to come.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13So, if there's anything you'd like us to investigate,
0:28:13 > 0:28:14or even debunk,
0:28:14 > 0:28:15then let us know.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21..is, as ever, the easiest way to get in touch.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22And we'll be back to get our teeth
0:28:22 > 0:28:24into more of your food stories very soon.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28- So, till then, from all of us here, goodbye.- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.