Coffee shop cakes can contain the equivalent of 18 teaspoons of sugar more than six Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Health campaigners found a lemon drizzle slice from Pret a Manger has 698 calories and 72.3g of sugar. Action on Sugar said there were much higher levels of sugar than expected in cakes made with berries, other fruit and even carrots.
The group is calling on high street chains such as Pret, Costa, Starbucks and Caffè Nero to cut the sugar in their products.
Public Health England is putting pressure on retailers and food manufacturers to reduce voluntarily the amount of sugar they use, including by taking some products off the shelves and shrinking portion sizes. The measures are part of a Government effort to tackle rising obesity, particularly in children.
Lemon and poppyseed muffins from both Starbucks and Caffè Nero were also found to be particularly high in sugar. The Starbucks version had 42.8g equivalent to 10.7 teaspoons and the Caffè Nero option had 31.4g almost eight teaspoons.
Carrot cakes had some of the highest sugar levels. A Christmas carrot cake from Starbucks had 60.1g of sugar, equivalent to 15 teaspoons. A layered carrot cake from Costa was 56.9g – 14 teaspoons. And a gateau aux carottes from Paul was 52.9g – 13 teaspoons. Blueberries may have a reputation as a superfood, but they normally come as part of a sugar overdose in coffee shop muffins. A double berry muffin from Pret weighs in at 39.9g of sugar – 10 teaspoons. The Costa blueberry muffin is 31.9g and the Starbucks version is 26.3g.
Surprisingly, some chocolate cakes had less sugar than the fruity versions. The triple chocolate cake from Pret has 52.3g of sugar – 13 teaspoons. That is high, but well below the chain’s larger lemon drizzle slice, weighing 172g, at 18. In comparison, a basic 52g Krispy Kreme doughnut is 200 calories and contains 2.5 teaspoons of sugar. Nutritionist Kawther Hashem, an Action on Sugar researcher, said: ‘It’s ludicrous that coffee shops are serving slices of cake containing over 600 calories and 18 teaspoons of sugar. To burn off this many calories you would need to walk for over two hours.’
Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and chairman of Action on Sugar, said: ‘Gradual reduction in sugar and calories is the most effective way of reducing calorie intake and thereby helping to prevent both obesity and type 2 diabetes.’
The group’s campaign manager, Jenny Rosborough, said: ‘Everyone should be able to enjoy cake, but there is no need for just one slice to exceed an adult’s maximum daily recommendation of sugar by almost three times.’
The chains say nutritional information is on their websites and they are committed to reducing their use of sugar. Pret said a trial of its larger slice lemon drizzle and triple chocolate cakes ends next week after which only smaller, individual portions will be available.
Starbucks said: ‘Our skinny blueberry muffin has 30 per cent less calories compared to our classic blueberry muffin and is returning to stores in January. We are working on a reduced-calorie and sugar carrot cake recipe.’
Costa said it was reducing sugar by reformulating products and introducing new healthier ones. Caffè Nero said: ‘We are committed to reducing the sugar content across our entire range.’