Saudi Food and Drug Authority urges reading nutrition labels to reduce sugar intake

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has emphasized that reading nutrition labels on food products helps regulate daily sugar intake. The authority urged consumers to compare options before purchasing to select products with lower sugar content.

The authority noted that planning shopping in advance and preparing a list of needed items can help limit the purchase of high-sugar products. It also advised choosing appropriate package sizes and avoiding large containers to reduce excessive consumption.

Importance of comparing brands

The authority explained that sugar content can vary significantly between products of the same type depending on the brand, making it important to compare the nutritional values listed on packaging.

The authority added that it is preferable to choose unsweetened products such as plain oats and unflavored yogurt, and to check the ingredients list, as sugar may appear under different names such as corn syrup, glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, or fruit concentrate.

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Avoiding high-sugar beverages

The authority also advised avoiding high-sugar beverages and choosing fresh juices without added sugar, ensuring that daily intake of sugar and added sugars does not exceed 5% of total daily consumption.