Hidden Sugar: How to avoid a sweetness overload

Published on Wed Dec 6 2017 in Lifestyle

 

There are plenty of reasons why we should be consuming less sugar. The sweetener is linked to weight gain, tooth decay and plenty of other health problems. However, New Zealanders are still getting far too much of it.

How much sugar is too much?

The World Health Organisation’s most recent guidelines recommend adults and children limit their intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total daily diet.1 That’s about 25 grams (or 6 teaspoons) every day for the average adult. It’s hard to pin down accurate numbers, but some estimate that Kiwis are eating far more than that—as much as 143g per day!2 

Even if you’ve already been cutting back on sugary snacks and beverages, you could be sabotaging your diet without realising it. Sugar is added to all sorts of food for many reasons. It can make food taste better, making you more likely to want more. It also helps maintain food colour, texture and shelf life.

Some high-sugar foods are easy to spot—biscuits, cereals, muesli bars and soft drink all come to mind. However, even savoury foods can contain shocking amounts of added sugars.

Unlikely sources of sugar

So which common foods contain hidden sugars? The short answer is: most of them. However, there are a few surprising standouts:

  • Bottled sauces – Pre-packaged sauces– such as tomato, barbecue, and even bolognaise– can easily have 5g or more of sugar per serve. That’s a little over a teaspoon. Of course, this assumes you’re strictly following the serving recommendation on the bottle, which most people do not!
  • Frozen meals – The amount of added sugar in an average frozen meal can vary from 6g up to 16g or more per serve. Pastas and other meals with sauces are the most likely to contain large amounts of added sugar.
  • “Low-fat” foods – This one may be the most surprising, as many of us mistakenly assume that low-fat means a healthier option. In fact, some low fat foods contain more sugar than “full fat” versions. Common culprits include flavoured yoghurts, ready-made soups, and salad dressings.
  • Wine – Fruit is full of sugar, though it may come as a surprise that some of the sugar in grapes is still present in wine. Residual sugar (referred to as RS) can range from less than 1g per 100ml serve up to 22g. Cheap wines tend to have a higher RS than moderately priced or expensive vintages, though there are exceptions.

How can I avoid added sugars?

With sugar being added to every food under the sun, it can seem like a daunting task to reduce how much you’re eating. However, there are easy and effective ways to start decreasing your sugar consumption.

  1. Stop buying processed foods. If it comes in a box, can or bag, it probably has sugar added. Banishing these ready-made options from the pantry can make a big difference.
  2. Make your own food as much as possible. If you can’t cut out all processed foods, at least try cooking more at home. This gives you more control over what you eat, and it’s often tastier! Cooking your own bolognaise sauce or making salad dressings are relatively easy swaps. 
  3. Eat whole, fresh fruit. Juice tastes great, but it’s not the best way to get your daily servings of fruit. The fibre in fruit plays an important part in digestion and moderates how the sugar affects the body. This fibre is mostly removed when fruits are juiced, causing a sugar spike similar to drinking a can of soft drink. 
  4. Eat more vegetables. Fruit is an important part of a healthy diet, but it’s often prioritised over vegies. It makes sense—we love the sweet sugar fix they provide! Take a look at your vegetable intake, and make sure you’re getting at least three servings of vegies each day (compared to two of fruits). 
  5. Cut back on alcohol. Whilst varieties of wine can have very little sugar, it can quickly add up over multiple glasses. Limiting yourself to just one or two can help you keep track. You can also try to avoid cocktails mixed with sugar-heavy soft drink or fruit juices, or try mixing with soda water instead!
  6. Indulge in moderation. Going cold turkey on any habit can be difficult, and sugar is no exception. Allowing yourself dessert a couple times a week is OK, so long as you’re cutting sugar out of your diet in other ways.

Over 50? Try these healthy eating tips, too! 

 

1. World Health Organization, WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children
2. NZ Herald, The truth about sugar: How much sugar should Kiwis have?
3. Wine Folly, Sugar in Wine Chart
4. HealthEd, Healthy eating, active living

Photo by Thomas Kelley on Unsplash

 

About Author: Momentum Life is a leading provider of Life insurance and Funeral insurance in New Zealand.


TAGS: food, wellbeing,

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