On the map of sweetest nations

25 August 2015 - 02:05 By Shaun Smillie

Swaths of the planet are awash in drinks with a high sugar content, and now there is a map to prove it. A study that appeared in the scientific journal Plos One has produced a map of the world's non-alcoholic drinking habits.It shows that the biggest guzzlers of sugary drinks are Trinidad and Tobago, where on average they drink 591ml of the beverage a day. South Africans, according to the research. drink 165ml, which is above the global average of 133ml.But Karen Hofman, a professor in the Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Unit, feels this estimate might be low and says South Africans add a lot of sugar to other drinks, such as tea and coffee.When it comes to fruit juice, the big drinkers are New Zealanders, who consume on average a glass a day. South Africa is slightly over the global average, drinking 35ml a day.Hoffman warns that fruit juice, too, contains a high percentage of sugar.Milk is most popular in the Nordic countries...

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