Why is excess of Sugar a bad thing? The Answer is quite simple. When you eat a food, the sugar (in whatever form) is absorbed into the blood stream. The body detects this, and releases insulin. This not only helps the body to process the sugars, but also triggers the production and storage of fat leading to weight gain. Extra weight isn't the only possible consequence of an overload of sugar. Some studies have found that diets high in sugar can quickly boosttriglycerides, fats in the blood that can clog the arteries. Also, sugary drinks and snacks can set the stage for cavities, especially in children, if good oral hygiene is not maintained.
Finding the Hidden Sugar
There is hidden sugar found in so many foods that we are not aware off. These even include baby foods and foods marketed specifically to children. Here is a list of products where you can find hidden sugar:
- Breakfast Cereals: Watch out for the breakfast cereals as they contain a lot of sugar. Even plain cornflakes also contain sugar. Try to always buy the one which has 'sugar free' written on it.
- Fruit Juices: There are lots of drinks out there masquerading as healthy juices when in fact they have spoonfuls of hidden sugar added to sweeten them up. Here too, try to buy the sugar free or 100% natural one.
- Low Fat: We are witnessing a rise of food labels that say that the product is 'Low Fat'. Most brands now offer a reduced-fat version of their product. The problem is anything that has low fat is bland and tasteless. So in order to patch things up, they replace it with Sugar. So make sure you read the food labels correctly before purchasing.
- Soft drinks: You will be surprised to know the amount of sugar added to soft drinks. A 300 ml can of soft drink can contain upto 33 gm of sugar. Studies show that soft drinks account for as much as 33% of all added sugars consumed. Switch to water and save yourself hundreds of calories a day!
- Energy Bars: Same is the story with energy bars because the primary source of energy is glucose which is nothing but sugar. Always use energy bars only after a heavy exercise. This helps the body to absorb better.
- Ketchup: Ketchup can add 20 percent more sugar than you actually need. Not to mention that you'll get excess of your daily sodium allowance in one tablespoon. Look for low-salt, no-sugar brands, or make your own.
- Canned food: Canned vegetables contain sugar. And everyone knows canned fruit has a tremendous amount of sugar added to it as a preservative. Choosing fresh vegetables is the best because it has nothing added to it.
- Bread: Most processed breads, especially buns, can contain a good bit of sugar or corn syrup. That's what gives them the golden-brown crust.
How much sugar do we need on a daily basis?
According to World Health Organization guidelines, no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from added sweeteners. This doesn't include naturally occurring sugars like the ones found in milk and fruit. So, in a diet composed of 2,000 calories, sugar would amount to 200 calories (50 grams or 12 teaspoons of sugar).
Tips to Avoid Sugar
Here are a few tips that will help you lead a sugar free life:
- Read the ingredients list and learn to identify terms that mean added sugars. Ingredients are listed in order of predominance, by weight and usually the first five ingredients listed make up the majority of the product. If any of these are among the first four or five ingredients, the food is sugar rich: sucrose, glucose, corn syrup, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, honey, molasses, maltose, brown sugar, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, fruit juice concentrates.
- Always check on how many servings per container there are. People don't realize that a big container has more than 2-3 servings, but the number of sugar listed in only per serving.
- Do not sprinkle sugar on your breakfast cereal, use chopped fruit or nuts instead.
- If you have sugar in your tea or coffee, try and wean yourself off it until you can manage without.
- Added sugars are primarily in processed foods. So learn to enjoy foods that are naturally sweet, without added sugar. Natural sugars in foods are part of a complex carbohydrate package that provides fuel and energy for your body.
- Use spices and herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger to enhance the flavor of foods naturally.
- Read labels and Choose foods labeled low-sugar, sugar-free, or sugar-reduced.
With a little knowledge, and a bit of self-control, you can remove some of the hidden sources of sugar in your diet. The suggestion mentioned above help you identify the hidden sugar and help you eliminate it from your diet.
