These Coffee Chain Treats Contain A Shocking Amount Of Sugar

High Street coffee chains are being urged to change the recipes of their cakes and muffins after new research highlighted their shocking sugar content. Public Health England recommends we consume no more than 30g of added sugar per day, but a new study found that just one serving of Pret's Lemon Drizzle Slice contains 72g - or 18 teaspoons - of sugar. Other products singled out for criticism in Action on Sugar's report include Starbucks' Christmas Carrot Cake, which contains 60g of sugar per serving, and Costa's Layered Carrot Cake, which contains 56g of sugar per serving. The research focused on three varieties of cake whose "fruity" flavours could fool consumers into thinking they are more healthy: carrot cakes, blueberry muffins, and lemon cakes and muffins. "Across each of the three cake varieties, supermarkets offered lower calories and sugar per serving, compared to those sold in cafes – demonstrating that manufacturers can make cakes with less calories and sugar, partly due to smaller portion sizes," the study concluded. Alex Holt of Health Equalities Group said in response to the report: "We have a thriving coffee shop culture in the UK, and more and more they appear to be destinations for children and young people to meet with friends. "Retailers need to take more responsibility for the nutritional value of foods they sell; reformulation and portion control are key to this. It should be easier for people to have an occasional slice of cake without overloading their bodies with sugar and calories."