Summary Feedback
Hershey’s Chocolate syrup contains sugar, water, invert sugar, liquid glucose, cocoa powder, malt extract, thickening agent IN 415, class II preservative 202, salt, permitted natural colour 150d, and added flavor- nature identical flavoring substances.
It contains 63.6 gm sugar per 100 gm pack which is high and unsuitable for diabetics and those with lifestyle diseases. Kids consume significant portions of foods like this and families often assume that it’s safe for kids to liberally use such products along with their meals. It is not safe for children to have such high sugar products along with their meals, except very rarely and in very tightly controlled, small portions.
The product also has an added flavour, added permitted natural colour as well as preservatives.
The foodnetindia Safety rating for this product :-
foodnetindia safety rating: 2 (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unsafe to very safe)
The general perception amongst Indian consumers is that this product has healthy cocoa, is from a well known brand with excellent manufacturing standards and is therefore safe to liberally consume. The high sugar content means that this is primarily a sugar product with added cocoa and not the other way round. The primary ingredient in this product is sugar. These consumer perceptions and its impact on liberal consumption by kids makes this product unsafe.
It contains salt as an ingredient but the product label does not mention the exact quantity in it. High sodium diets have been known to be the cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. The recommended daily intake of salt is between 1-3 grams.
foodnetindia wholesomeness rating: 2 (On a scale of 1 to 10 from very unbalanced nutrition profile to excellent nutrition profile)
The product does not have much going for it in the nutrition department and is a sugary product, with added flavour, colour and preservatives.
Ingredients of concern in Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
- Sugar
- Invert Sugar
- Glucose Syrup
- Salt
- Permitted Natural Color IN 150d
Sugar
This food contains 63.6 gm sugar per 100 gm pack. This food product does not specify which sugar has been used. This is important because different sugars have different metabolic effects. For example, Sucrose (Cane Sugar) is very different from Fructose (Fruit Sugar). Some foods use high fructose corn syrup which may be harmful in much lower quantities than sucrose. We believe that it is not responsible behaviour for a brand to not clearly state what ingredients have been used.
Sugar is a carbohydrate found naturally in a host of different foods from lactose in milk to the fructose in fruit and honey. In fact, we need some sugar in our diets to supply ready energy to fuel our muscles and keep our brains active. The problem is that many processed foods have added sugar which supplies energy in the form of calories – and very little else. This means our body has to draw on the nutrients from the rest of our diet to process it and this can affect our health, including our immunity – leaving us more prone to bugs and colds. A high intake of sugar causes our blood sugar levels to shoot up, giving us that feel-good ‘high’ followed by a crashing slump which leaves us tired, irritable and craving more sugary foods. It’s a vicious cycle that may be contributing to our weight problems as well as health concerns like diabetes and heart disease.
Invert Sugar
Inverted or invert sugar syrup is a mixture of glucose and fructose. It is used in several products such as honey, jam, golden syrup, etc. It is similar to high fructose corn syrup.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is increasingly being seen as a reason for the high incidence of metabolic diseases. It has negative metabolic effects at much smaller doses than sucrose.
Glucose Syrup
Glucose syrup, also known as confectioner’s glucose, is a syrup made from the hydrolisis of starch. Glucose is a sugar.
Excessive sugar consumption is linked to a wide variety of metabolic diseases.
Salt
High sodium diets have been known to be the cause of high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. The recommended daily intake of salt is between 1-3 grams.
Added Permitted Natural Color- IN 150d
Side effects are manifested from the use of IN150d, where intestinal problems may occur after ingestion of large amounts. Due to the complex nature of the mixtures, toxicology tests are still being carried out.
Caramel coloring may be derived from a variety of source products that are themselves common allergens. As such, persons with known sensitivities or allergies to food products are advised to avoid foods including generic caramel coloring or first determine the source for the caramel coloring before consuming the food.
Other ingredients that are in the product but not a major source of concern in our opinion are:
- Water,
- Cocoa powder,
- Malt extract,
- Thickening agent IN 415,
- Class II preservative 202,
- Added flavor- nature identical flavoring substances
Disclaimer – The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information. foodnetindia encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
The ingredients list of the product may have changed since this page was published. Consumers are encouraged to read warnings, labels, ingredient lists, etc.
Replies, if any, from the brand, will be published here ‘As is’