Sweet Enough Already
By Christine Rice
Sugar is an ever-present component in our daily diet , but it helps to know how much is too much , and understand that sugar can be both friend and enemy .
Nutrition
These days one often hears people talking about the evil of sugar , that it is one of the most addictive substances out there , and can be seriously bad for you . This is one of the reasons dieticians and nutritionists need to know your sugar intake when advising you on a dietary plan . However , sugar is not always the ‘ bad guy ’ that it is painted out to be .
Your body needs natural sugars to get going in the morning , let you work through the day and help you in training , but beware , there are negatives when it comes to sugar intake . To explain this , let ’ s start with a quick nutritional lesson : Simple carbohydrates ( sugars ) refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides . The monosaccharides include glucose , fructose and galactose , with fructose mostly found in fruits and veggies , which won ’ t cause too much weight-gain . Common disaccharides include sucrose ( glucose plus fructose ), lactose ( glucose plus galactose ), and maltose ( two linked glucose units ). Complex carbs refer to starch , which gives you the natural energy to be able to run .
A healthy , balanced diet contains naturally-occurring sugars , because monosaccharides such as fructose and disaccharides such as sucrose and lactose are integral components of fruit , vegetables , dairy products and many grains . The thing we all need to watch out for are extrinsic sugars and syrups added during processing .
The Hazards of Sugar
Quite simply , you need to watch your intake , especially of processed sugar . Today , we ’ re swamped with products on the shelves that spike our sugar intake , especially soft drinks , fruit drinks , desserts
and candies , jellies and ready-to-eat cereals . These products give us an enormous amount of excess sugar , which can affect our health in a number of ways :
1 . High blood pressure : Emerging evidence suggests that increased intake of added sugars may raise blood pressure .
2 . Blood lipids : When used to replace dietary fats , carbohydrates and sugar can increase triglyceride levels , a known risk factor for coronary heart disease , and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol ( the good type ).
3 . Inflammation : A higher consumption of
high-sugar beverages and foods is associated with evidence of increased inflammation and oxidative stress .
4 . Obesity : Today there is a significant increase
of energy intake with increased sugar-sweetened beverages . However , evidence is inconsistent regarding the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity , due to the fact that obesity is a complex metabolic disorder and is not likely due to one nutrient or factor . In feeding experiments , when increasing the size of sweetened drinks , intake of solid food increased significantly as well . Remember that it only takes an extra 50 calories a day to gain 2.5kg in one year !
5 . Nutrient inadequacy : Reduced intake of calcium , vitamin A , iron and zinc have been observed with increasing intake of added sugars , particularly at intake levels that exceeded 25 % of energy .
So , How Much is OK ?
The World Health Organisation recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10 % of total energy intake , and uses the concept of discretionary calorie allowance , which can be determined by estimating the calories needed to meet nutrient requirements and then subtracting this amount from the estimated energy requirement needed to maintain weight .
Added sugar , especially in the form of high-fructose corn syrup in sugar-sweetened soft drinks and refined snacks , is what people should be concerned about . Over the past 30 years , people ’ s total calories have increased by an average of 150 to 300 calories per day , and about half of these calories are coming from added sugar in the form of liquid calories .
So , to maintain a healthy weight and avoid disease , and at the same time meet nutritional needs , people should consume an overall healthy diet with physical activity . Women should eat or drink no more than 100 calories ( six teaspoons ) a day from added sugar and men no more than 150 calories ( nine teaspoons ).
Images : Getty Images , Pexels & Shutterstock
This article was taken from the Modern Athlete archives , and we ’ re republishing it because it remains relevant . It was written by Christine Rice ( née Peters ), a registered private practicing dietitian who heads up Christine Rice Nutrition , based at the Sunninghill Medical Centre in Johannesburg . More info at www . christinericenutrition . com .
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