How to sugar smart in holidays season
This is my new article which I came through recently and I was surprised that I did not pass this quiz.
Even if you pass on desserts and take your coffee black, you’re still probably eating more sugar than you think. Take this quiz and consider whether the sweet stuff could be sabotaging your health.
1. True or false: Sugar is a carbohydrate that provides energy to the body.
ANSWER – True. Other than providing energy, sugar has no other nutritional benefits.
2. True or false: Eating an apple that contains 14 grams of sugar is the same as eating a cookie that contains 14 grams of sugar.
ANSWER – False. Foods like milk, fruit, and vegetables contain natural sugars as well as vitamins and nutrients your body needs, and they help you feel full. But added sugar – which is put in foods and beverages during preparation or processing – increases calories without adding anything of value to your body. In other words, the sugar itself may be the same, but the package makes a big difference.
3. Which of these ingredients are added sugar?
a.glucose
b.fructose
c.sucrose
d.brown sugar
e.honey
f.corn syrup
g.maple syrup
h.molasses
i.fruit puree
j.all of the above
ANSWER – (j). These are all types of sugar that can be added to foods and beverages during processing, as a sweetener or preservative or to enhance texture. Look for these terms on the ingredient lists of products when you grocery shop.
4. How much added sugar does the average Canadian eat in a day?
a.5 teaspoons
b.10 teaspoons
c.15 teaspoons
ANSWER – (c). At a conservative estimate, the average Canadian adult takes in more than 15 teaspoons (62 grams) of added sugar a day, based on a diet of 2,000 calories.This amount does not include the naturally occurring sugar found in milk, fruit, vegetables and other plant-based foods.
5. What’s a healthy limit for the added sugar we eat in a day?
a.25 per cent of total daily calories
b.10 per cent of total daily calories
c.5 per cent of total daily calories
ANSWER – (b) and (c). The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends that we restrict added sugars to not more than 10 per cent of our total daily calorie intake – and ideally aim for less than five per cent. For an average diet of 2,000 calories a day, 10 per cent is about 12 teaspoons or 48 grams of added sugar. Bottom line: most of us need to eat less added sugar.
6. Excess sugar consumption is connected to which of these health conditions?
a.heart disease
b.stroke
c.obesity
d.high blood cholesterol
e.cancer
f.cavities
g.all of the above
ANSWER – (g). All these conditions have been linked to eating too much sugar. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in February, 2014, found that people who consumed more than a quarter of their daily calories from added sugars nearly tripled their risk of heart disease or stroke.
7. What is the largest contributor of added sugar in a Canadian’s diet?
a.Desserts
b.Sugar-sweetened drinks
c.Sugar added to tea, coffee, etc.
ANSWER – (b). Sugar-sweetened drinks (including soft drinks, sports drinks, juices, energy drinks and specialty teas and coffees) are the largest contributor of added sugar in our diet. A single can of soda contains up to 40 grams (about 10 teaspoons) of added sugar and no health benefits. And, drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage leaves you feeling less full than if you had eaten the same number of calories from solid food. Fruit juice, either as a beverage or as a sweetener added to other foods, has less nutritional value than a piece of fruit and is high in sugar.
8. Which has more sugar: a chocolate glazed donut or a whole grain muffin?
ANSWER – Don’t assume that whole grains mean low sugar. At one popular Canadian chain, a whole grain carrot orange muffin has 26 grams of sugar compared to the chocolate donut, which has 19 grams. When you shop, read the Nutrition Facts table to learn the total amount of sugar in the product. And approach all sweet treats with moderation.
Easy way to reduce sugar intake
Thirsty? Drink water or lower fat (2% MF or less) plain milk.
Time for a coffee or tea break-Be selective and stay away from the fancy drinks with added sugars. Instead of ordering a chai latte, order chai tea and ask them to add steamed milk.
Hungry for a meal-Try whole foods.
Need a snack- Stock up on roasted nuts; lower-fat cheese and crackers; veggies and dip; plain yogurt and fresh fruit.
Buying breakfast cereal? Choose cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar and more than 4 grams of fiber per 1 cup (30 gram) serving.
Cook at home more often- Save restaurants for special occasions.
When you buy packaged foods read the Nutrition Facts table and the ingredient list.- Pay special attention to the total amount of sugar and read the ingredient list
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