Leena Watts
Sugar is found in a variety of foods and drinks that we consume daily. While it is well-known that sugar is present in sweets, cakes, chocolates, and biscuits, it is also found in natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, and milk. Sugar is also added to our diet through processed and prepared foods, such as breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurt, and carbonated beverages. The overconsumption of sugar can lead to various health issues, including tooth decay, weight gain and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is important to be mindful of the sources of sugar in our diet and to limit the intake of added sugars.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sources of added sugar | Soft drinks, candy, cookies, cakes, chocolate, breakfast cereals, juice drinks, honey, agave, maple syrup, molasses, corn syrup, and more |
| Sources of natural sugar | Fruits, vegetables, milk, and other dairy products |
| Effects of added sugar | Increased risk of cardiovascular disease, tooth decay, weight gain, and poor diet quality |
| Effects of natural sugar | Less likely to cause tooth decay due to being contained within the structure of fruits and vegetables |
| Recommended daily intake | Women: 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day; Men: 36 grams (9 teaspoons) per day; Children: reduced intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy |
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What You'll Learn
Naturally occurring sugars in fruit, vegetables, and milk
Sugar exists in a wide variety of forms and is found in many foods and beverages. While it is generally advisable to limit the consumption of added sugars, natural sugars can be part of a healthy diet. Naturally occurring sugars can be found in fruits, vegetables, and milk.
All fruits contain some amount of naturally occurring sugars, or fructose. Some fruits, like bananas, are higher in sugar than others, like berries. Because the fructose in fruit is accompanied by fibre, it slows down your body's insulin response, making it a healthier alternative to added sugars. Whole fruits are generally a more nutritious choice than prepackaged, canned, blended, or juiced fruits. Experts recommend eating 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day.
Vegetables also contain naturally occurring sugars, although most vegetables contain less sugar than fruits. Eating vegetables can be a beneficial way to get energy and nutrients without consuming too much sugar.
Milk also contains natural sugars, primarily in the form of lactose, also known as milk sugar. These sugars are the main carbohydrate in milk and give it a lightly sweet taste. Cow's milk and human breast milk contain lactose, while non-dairy milks, including oat, coconut, rice, and soy milk, contain other simple sugars, such as fructose, galactose, glucose, sucrose, or maltose. The natural sugars in milk can fuel your body and brain, but they can also affect your blood sugar levels, so it is important to choose unsweetened varieties to minimise your intake of added sugar.
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Added sugars in sweets, cakes, biscuits, and chocolate
Sugar is added to a wide range of foods and drinks during processing or preparation, including sweets, cakes, biscuits, and chocolate. These added sugars are not necessary for the body and provide no nutrients, only contributing extra calories. As such, they are the type of sugar we should limit or cut down on.
Sweets, cakes, biscuits, and chocolate are all foods that typically contain high levels of added sugar. For example, a can of cola can contain up to 9 cubes of sugar, exceeding the recommended daily limit for adults. These added sugars can be identified by checking the ingredients list for items like white sugar, brown sugar, honey, high-fructose corn syrup, and other chemically manufactured sweeteners.
The issue with these added sugars is that they can negatively impact health. Excess sugar consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and can contribute to weight gain. Sugar is also a leading cause of tooth decay, as the sugars in sweets, chocolates, cakes, and biscuits can damage teeth and lead to dental issues.
To reduce added sugar intake, it is recommended to limit consumption of these sugary foods and drinks. This can be done by opting for healthier snack options, such as fresh or tinned fruit, unsalted nuts, plain popcorn, rice cakes, or lower-sugar yogurts. When baking cakes and biscuits at home, it is also possible to reduce the amount of sugar in recipes, although this may vary depending on the specific recipe and type of baked good.
By being mindful of added sugars in sweets, cakes, biscuits, and chocolate, and making conscious choices to limit their consumption, individuals can improve their overall health and reduce their risk of sugar-related health issues.
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Added sugars in fizzy drinks and juice drinks
Fizzy drinks and juice drinks are some of the most common sources of added sugars in our diets. These drinks are often loaded with large amounts of added sugars, contributing to excess calorie intake and offering little to no nutritional value.
Fizzy drinks, also known as carbonated or soft drinks, are major contributors to sugar intake. These include popular beverages like soda, cola, lemonade, tonic, and fruit punch. A single can of cola can contain up to 9 cubes of sugar, far exceeding the recommended daily limit for adults. The combination of sugar and acid in these drinks can damage teeth, and the excess calories can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Fruit juices and juice drinks are also high in sugar, even when they are unsweetened or labelled as "high juice." While they may contain some vitamins and minerals, the sugar content can be comparable to that of soft drinks. For example, a typical glass of unsweetened fruit juice can contain as much as 7 to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Consuming large amounts of these drinks can have similar negative health effects as fizzy drinks, including weight gain and an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
To reduce sugar intake, it is advisable to limit the consumption of sugary fizzy drinks and juice drinks. Opting for water, lower-fat milk, or sugar-free alternatives can be healthier choices. Even when choosing fruit juices, moderation is key, with recommendations suggesting a limit of 150ml per day. Diluting fruit juices or opting for no-added-sugar versions can also help reduce sugar intake.
Reading nutrition labels is essential when choosing beverages. Understanding the amount of sugar and the presence of added sugars can help make informed decisions. By reducing the consumption of added sugars, individuals can lower their risk of cardiovascular disease, control their weight, and improve their overall health.
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How to identify added sugars in ingredients lists
Sugar is found in a lot more foods than you may think. While it is important to limit added sugars, it is not necessary to cut down on natural sugars found in fruits, vegetables and milk.
To identify added sugars, look at the ingredients list. Some clues that an ingredient is an added sugar include:
- Ingredients that end in "ose", such as fructose, sucrose, maltose and dextrose.
- Ingredients that include “syrup”, such as maple syrup, sorghum syrup or corn syrup.
- Other sweeteners like honey, agave and molasses.
Food manufacturers call sugar by more than 60 different names! Some foods that are considered healthy may actually have a lot of added sugar, such as granola and granola bars, or flavoured yoghurt. When reading food labels, remember that four grams of sugar is equal to one teaspoon. The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than six teaspoons and men no more than nine teaspoons of sugar per day. If one or more of the names for sugar are at the top of the list, that’s a sign that the product is high in added sugar.
The nutrition facts label is required to inform you how much sugar is in a food, but it does not separate the amounts of naturally occurring sugar from added sugar. The FDA has mandated that manufacturers must list added sugars in grams and as a percentage of the Daily Value. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet.
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The health implications of excess sugar consumption
Sugar is found in a lot more foods than you may think. While sugar in moderate amounts is not harmful to the body, excess sugar consumption can have several negative health implications.
Firstly, excess sugar consumption can lead to weight gain and obesity. Sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, juices, and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar that increases your hunger and desire for food. Liquid calories are not as satisfying as calories from solid foods, so it is easy to quickly consume a high number of calories from sugary drinks, which can contribute to weight gain. Obesity, in turn, increases the risk of various chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.
Secondly, excess sugar consumption can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Sugar overloads the liver, which metabolizes sugar in a similar way to alcohol, converting dietary carbohydrates into fat. Over time, this can lead to a greater accumulation of fat, potentially resulting in fatty liver disease, which is a contributor to diabetes and raises the risk of heart disease. Additionally, consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Excess sugar intake has also been linked to an increased risk of developing certain cancers. Diets high in sugar contribute to inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which increase the likelihood of cancer. Furthermore, sugar consumption has been associated with an increased risk of depression and mood disorders, particularly in overweight individuals.
Finally, sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay. Reducing the consumption of free sugars found in sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, sugary breakfast cereals, and dried fruit can help prevent tooth decay.
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Frequently asked questions
Sugar is found in many foods and drinks, including sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, fizzy drinks, juice drinks, and breakfast cereals.
Some foods that are considered healthy may contain a lot of added sugar. For example, granola and granola bars, and flavoured yoghurt.
There are two types of sugar: naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. Naturally occurring sugars are found in fruits (fructose), vegetables and milk (lactose). Added sugars are any sugars added to foods or beverages during processing or preparation, such as sugar added to coffee or cereal.
To reduce your sugar intake, cut down on foods and drinks containing free sugars, such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, and sugary drinks. Instead, opt for water, lower-fat milk, or sugar-free drinks. Check nutrition labels to identify products with high sugar content.
