We all know that excess sugar is bad news for our health. We know the importance of a healthy diet, and try to cut out the obvious offenders such as chocolate and soda. However, sugar is an ingredient that is as ubiquitous as it is dangerous. It is everywhere. The NHS advises adults to consume no more than 30g (7 teaspoons) of added sugar a day. This typical ‘healthy diet’ shows just how easy it is to QUADRUPLE that amount.
BREAKFAST
9.5g of sugar per serving
13.4g of sugar per serving
16.6g of sugar per serving
SNACK
11.9g of sugar per serving
13.8g of sugar per serving (Medium Latte)
LUNCH
1.4g of sugar per serving (M&S Chicken Low Fat Mayo)
23.4g of sugar per serving
26g of sugar per serving
DINNER
0.8g of sugar per serving
7.8g of sugar per serving
0.9g sugar per serving
This ‘healthy diet’ works out at exactly 125.5g of sugar. That is approximately 30 teaspoons of sugar!
Sugar is sugar. Whether it occurs naturally, as in fruit or dairy, or added to our food. Most of the sugar we consume is hidden in the food we eat. Excessive consumption of sugar IS the primary culprit in explaining the current crises of metabolic disease and tooth decay that we now face.
So what should we do, given that it is so difficult to avoid sugar in our obesogenic food environment?
- Avoid processed food. Eat real food.
- Consider the nutrition label in packaged foods. If a ‘food’ requires a label, should you be eating it?
- Try cook from scratch as often as you can. This way, you retain control of what is in your food.
