While it is well established that certain food and drinks, such as fizzy drinks, are high in sugar, Diabetes Ireland has expressed concern that many people may be unknowingly filing up on ‘free sugars'.

Free sugars are classified as simple sugars that are added to foods by manufacturers or consumers, as well as sugars that are present in honey, syrups and fruit juices.

"Our intakes of sugar have increased dramatically over the last 10 years and where fizzy drinks and sweet foods are the obvious culprits, many people are not aware of other foods which also contain large amounts of free sugars," commented Pauline Dunne, senior dietician with Diabetes Ireland.

She noted that even a trip to the local coffee shop can lead to the consumption of many free sugars. For example, one muffin can have the equivalent of eight teaspoons of sugar, while a slice of cake can have 14 teapoons.

However small changes, such as choosing smaller servings or not adding sugar to tea and coffee, can make a major difference.

"We are not telling people to make huge changes that they cannot sustain over a long period. Instead, we are asking them to make small changes by simply thinking before they purchase," Ms Dunne explained.

To help people realise how much sugar they are actually eating, and how to reduce sugar consumption, Diabetes Ireland has launched an online tool - ‘Sugar Smart'. Click here for more.