In sugar news, the World Health Organisation has HALVED the recommended intake of sugar from 10% of total daily energy intake to 5%! This equates to a sugar allowance of 6 teaspoons per day for an adult of a healthy weight.
This guideline includes “added sugar”, therefore it is important to factor in hidden sugars found in sweet foods, beverages and condiments. A tablespoon of tomato sauce, for example, contains 1 teaspoon sugar while fizzy cold drinks contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per can!
Be sure to read the labels while you are in the supermarket. The ingredients run in descending order, therefore limit the use of products with ‘sugar’, ‘honey’, ‘syrup’, ‘glucose’, ‘caramel’, ‘cane sugar’, ‘corn syrup’ ‘glucose’ or ‘sucrose’ near the beginning of the list.
In South Africa we are fortunate to have regulated food product labeling. Below the “Total Carbohydrates” you will find a value for “of which sugars”. If this value is between 5 – 15 grams per 100 grams of the product, the food contains a moderate amount of sugar and should only be eaten on occasion in a small quantity. It is best to avoid foods containing more than 15 grams of sugar per 100 grams of product. Foods with less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams of product are considered low in sugar. Choose these foods when selecting processed items.
Make an assessment of your current total sugar intake and then begin to reduce it over time. It is the small, sustainable changes that lead to the most significant results. Sugar is also considered to be empty energy because it contributes to your daily energy intake without offering any nutritional benefit. Weight gain results when our energy input is more than our energy output. Therefore when aiming to reduce your total daily kilojoule (energy) intake, start with sugar and added sugars, while keeping the nutritious, unrefined foods. Snack on fruit to meet your sweet fix and your 3 a day!
Recipe: Sugar free chocolate cake
