Cut Down on Sugar

Rogue Sweetness?

When you ask most people what makes food sweet, they’ll usually say sugar. But these days, added sugars come in many different chemical forms that you may not instantly recognize on a label and are present in a huge variety of foods, including canned vegetables and some breads.

What are they? These are all the sugars that are added to foods, with names such as glucose, fructose, maltose, hydrolyzed starch, invert sugar and corn syrup.

Safe Upper Limit 

A report by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations stated that an individual’s intake of added sugars should be limited to less than 10 per cent of calories consumed daily. Excess sugar consumption is a factor in weight gain and has been implicated in the development of diabetes as well as heart disease.

How to Cut Your Consumption

Be a Label Detective

On Nutritional Facts labels, look for the “Carbohydrates (of which sugars)” figure. More than 10 g sugar per 100 g is a lot; less than 2 g is a little.

The ingredients contained in a product are usually listed from largest to smallest so beware if sugars (under any name) are high on the list. And watch out for sugar in all its guises, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose.

Make sure you pay close attention to the labels. So many products such as apple sauce, stewed tomatoes, baked beans and pasta sauce contain added sugars—but there may well be a more natural version available.

Go Natural

Enjoy natural sweet treats such as fruit—fresh, frozen (without syrup), canned in its own juice, or dried (provided it’s not sugar coated). Fruit brings you a wealth of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as well.

Stop Sipping On Soda

Limit processed fruit juice or soft drinks. If you must have a soft drink, choose the diet version. Try soda water or sparkling mineral water with a splash of orange or lemon juice; or just enjoy refreshing plain water.

Have It Black

Try to cut the sugar you add to cereals, tea or coffee. Many cereals are already sweetened (check the label) and you’ll probably find you quickly get used to unsweetened beverages—in the end you may even prefer the taste.