How Sweet It Is!

By Pat Dickey, KRH and One2One Registered Dietitian

When you read labels, you will notice that there is a listing for “total carbohydrate” and a secondary listing below that for “sugar.”  If you read the label on milk or if a piece of fresh fruit were labeled, you would see “sugar” on the label.  Does this mean they have sugar added to them?  No, what it means is that they have naturally occurring sugars (lactose in milk and fructose in fruit) as part of their make up.  These foods not only contain natural sugar, but also provide a considerable number of other important nutrients that contribute to good health.  “Added Sugars” on the other hand, are sugars and syrups that are put into the food when they are processed or prepared.  Foods with added sugars contribute few nutrients while increasing calorie intakes which can lead to weight gain and obesity.
 
The major sources of added sugars are regular soft drinks, sugars, candy, cakes, cookies, pies and fruit drinks (fruitades and fruit punch).  Dairy desserts such as ice cream, sweetened yogurt and sweetened condensed milk along with sweetened cereals also contribute a fair amount of added sugar and therefore, extra calories to the diet. Many of us consume more sugar than we realize so it is important to be aware of how much added sugar we take in.  To see if a processed food has added sugars, you will need to look at the ingredient list.  Ingredients are listed by weight so items near the top of the list are going to be in the largest amount in the product.  Be watchful for words ending in “ose” which signify the presence of sugar (sucrose, maltose, etc.) and also for other sugar “aliases” such as maltodextrin, syrup, honey, molasses, corn sweetener, raw sugar, sorghum, or dehydrated cane juice.

How much is just right?  It is recommended that women limit their intake of added sugars to 100 calories or less per day which translates into about 6 teaspoons of sugar.  For men, it’s about 150 calories per day or the equivalent of  about 9 teaspoons of sugar.  This may sound like a lot of added sugar but keep in mind, one 12-ounce regular soft drink contains the equivalent of eight to ten teaspoons of added sugar with zero nutrition except calories. And, if you sweeten your beverages such as coffee or tea with sugar, the teaspoons can add up fast!  Being “added sugar” aware can certainly pay off in reducing calorie intakes and improving the quality of your diet.