Added sugar in packaged/processed fruit and vegetable products

Abstract

Both Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes are prevalent in New Zealand affecting approximately 7% and 26% of adults, respectively. ¹ Dietary recommendations for both groups include consuming less sugar in an attempt to improve glycemic control. Fruits and vegetables are generally considered to be a healthy option, although a recent survey of New Zealand supermarket foods suggest that processed foods dominate the marketplace and that the majority of these foods contain added sugars. ² Further, processed fruit and vegetable-based products have been shown to be ‘less healthy’ than those that are minimally processed, ² though the levels of added sugars in these products has not been quantified. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the sugar content of commonly consumed, processed/packaged fruit and vegetable products available in New Zealand supermarkets.