Domesticky

From breakfast cereal to midnight snack, processed sugar is everywhere.

It may even be in your sausages. Hence the obscene image. Cannot unsee? Sorry.

There’s sugar in the non-sweet stuff too: in the crisps and the crackers, bread and breadsticks, pasta sauces, frozen meals, salad dressings (!) and canned soups.

It’s likely also in your ketchup – a tablespoon (15g) of ketchup contains roughly a teaspoon of sugar. That’s about a third.

Here in Ireland, mirroring global trends, the overconsumption of sugar has led to a significant rise in sugar-related health diseases, mirroring global trends.

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease are becoming increasingly prevalent, with sugar consumption playing a major role.

According to the Health Service Executive (HSE), approximately 66% of Irish adults are overweight or obese, and type 2 diabetes diagnoses are rising, even among younger populations.

Behind the statistics? High sugar intake from sugary beverages, processed snacks, and convenience foods has been identified as a key driver.

Dental health is another major concern, particularly for children, as tooth decay caused by excessive sugar intake has led to an increase in dental treatments and extractions.

Despite some government initiatives, such as the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, which imposes a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages, many health experts argue that Ireland still faces an uphill battle in reducing sugar consumption and tackling these related health issues.

The global obsession with sugar is not a modern phenomenon, but one rooted deeply in history, intertwined with global economics, addiction science, and the human craving for sweetness.

Sweet Jesus! Sugar and the Slave Trade

The global sugar economy’s troubling past goes right back to the 15^th century, when European explorers discovered sugarcane in the Caribbean and South America.

The high demand for sugar in Europe fuelled the transatlantic slave trade, as plantation owners sought cheap labour to cultivate the crop.

African slaves were transported in brutal conditions to the Americas and forced to work on sugar plantations. Their labour became the backbone of the growing sugar industry.

By the 18th century, sugar was no longer just a luxury for the elite. It became a staple for the masses.

As production increased, so did the profits.

Sugar was cheap to produce, addictive, and could be used in everything from tea to baked goods.

This demand led to the expansion of sugar plantations and an increase in the exploitation of enslaved people.

Even today, the historical legacy of the sugar industry’s role in colonialism and slavery is a stark reminder of its impact on global history.

The Sweet Spot: Sugar is Cheap, Addictive, and Everywhere

In 2022 alone, the sugar industry is a global behemoth worth over $93 billion.

What makes sugar so economically powerful? It’s the perfect formula of being cheap to produce, highly profitable, and incredibly addictive.

The addictive nature of sugar, combined with its low production costs, ensures a steady stream of profits. The more people consume, the more the industry grows, making it one of the most lucrative sectors in the world.

It’s engineered to make food taste better, keep consumers coming back for more, and significantly boost sales.

Recent studies show that about 74% of supermarket products contain added sugar in one form or another.

Some of the worst offenders are soft drinks, snack foods, breakfast cereals, and ready-made meals.

Soda and energy drinks are among the leading culprits, often containing multiple teaspoons of sugar per serving.

Even so-called “health” products, like granola bars or fruit-flavoured yogurts, can be packed with processed sugars that contribute to widespread overconsumption.

Sugar: The Perfect Addiction

What sets sugar apart from other food ingredients is its ability to trigger the brain’s reward system.

Eating sugar releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that generates feelings of pleasure.

And we like that a lot.

The effect is similar to how addictive substances like alcohol or nicotine work.

Once your brain experiences this sugar rush, it craves more, leading to a cycle of overconsumption that is hard to break.

The problem? This gold mine for the food industry is a public health issue.

The Sugar Industry and Government: A Sweet Deal?

The sugar industry doesn’t just rely on consumer addiction to maintain its dominance; it also has powerful allies in government.

Lobbying efforts by sugar manufacturers and food corporations have been incredibly effective in shaping policies that favour their interests.

In countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, the industry has a history of influencing governmental decisions regarding health regulations and sugar taxes.

In the UK, for example, the introduction of a sugar tax on soft drinks in 2018 was a step toward addressing rising obesity and diabetes rates. Critics can reasonably argue it was a token gesture compared to the scale of the problem.

The reality is that sugar remains a key ingredient in thousands of processed foods, and industry lobbying has consistently watered down more comprehensive health initiatives.

Former Chancellor George Osborne was criticised for his ties to the food and drink industry while leading efforts to introduce the soft drinks levy.

Meanwhile, former health ministers have had consulting or advisory roles with major food corporations, including those involved in sugar production.

The lobbying power of the sugar industry makes it difficult for governments to enact strict regulations that could effectively curb sugar consumption. Even when public health campaigns warn of the dangers of sugar, these efforts are often underfunded or eclipsed by aggressive marketing from the food industry.

• Global sugar production: In 2022, the world produced over 180 million metric tons of sugar.
• Soft drinks: In the UK, sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to about 30% of the daily sugar intake for teenagers.
• Processed foods: In the U.S., more than 60% of calories consumed come from processed foods, most of which contain added sugars.

Despite increasing awareness of the health risks associated with sugar, such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, its consumption continues to rise globally, fuelled by a food industry that prioritises profit over public health.

A Sugar Free Future?

While some governments have taken small steps to combat the overconsumption of sugar, the industry’s deep-rooted influence makes it difficult to implement significant change.

For you, breaking free from the cycle of sugar addiction needs more than your willpower.  

What is needed is a reshaping of food environments, improving education about nutrition, and holding food manufacturers accountable for their role in the public health crisis.

That means better labelling, stricter advertising rules, and increased taxes on sugary products? Because without a concerted global effort and real political will, the sugar industry is likely to maintain its stranglehold on the food supply.

What can you do right now if you’re worried about your sugar intake?

Read food labels.

All the ingredients are listed in order of their descending weight, this means that the food contains more of the ingredients listed first; and less of those listed last. For example, the closer sugar is listed to the start of the ingredients, the more sugar the food contains.

Sweet.