By Olivia Schofield
Sugar can have a bittersweet effect when it comes to our health. Having too much sugar in your diet can lead to weight gain, which in turn puts you at a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. So, to mark the start of Heart Month, Heart Research UK has teamed up with MyFitnessPal to encourage people to reduce their sugar intake.
A survey conducted by MyFitnessPal found that sugar is the number one thing people are trying to eat less of, and it is also the thing most people feel guilty about eating. Over half of the people questioned said they would like to reduce their sugar intake, but they were surprised to learn that added sugars are hidden in many common foods.
So, with the average male consuming 83% more than the UK recommendation, how can you become more aware of your sugar intake?
Check food labels for added sugars
Sugar is often added to many common foods and drinks including cakes, biscuits, pudding, sweets, chocolate, drinks, and sweetened yogurts to name a few.
Checking food labels in these products can let you determine if the food is high in sugar or not. Foods high in sugar contain 22.5g or more of total sugars per 100g and foods low in sugar contain 5g or less of total sugars per 100g.
Free sugars
Often ‘free sugars’ can also be added to foods as a flavour enhancement or to act as a preservative to increase the shelf-life of a product. Added sugar can be listed in several ways but key ingredients to look out for include sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, dextrose, honey, syrup, molasses, treacle, or fruit juice concentrates.
It’s also important to know the amount of sugar you are eating daily. If you are unsure how much sugar you should be consuming, it is recommended that:
- For children between the ages of four and six the maximum free sugar per day is 19g
- For children between the ages of seven and 10 the maximum free sugar per day is 24g
- For adults, the maximum free sugar per day is 30g
Make drink swaps
Limiting sweet treats in your diet by consuming them less often or in smaller portions can decrease your intake of sugar. If you add sugar to hot drinks, try cutting back on the amount of sugar you add or opt for an artificial sweetener.
You can even try swapping sugary soft drinks for water, sugar-free or reduced-sugar drinks. Other options include unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies, which are low in sugar, but try limiting your intake to no more than 150ml a day.
Dessert and breakfast swaps
Switching out sugary desserts for low-fat or low-sugar yogurts with fruit, can also reduce the amount of sugar you are consuming. If you have a sweet tooth and want a sugary pudding, try eating smaller portions.
Another way to cut down on your sugar is to be careful of your sugar intake at breakfast time. Often, frosted, chocolate or honey coated breakfast cereals are high in sugar. Try replacing these with wholegrain breakfast cereals, such as bran flakes.
Following this advice should help you to reduce your sugar intake and lower your risk of developing health complications including coronary heart disease. If you are interested in more heart healthy tips, you can sign up to our Healthy Tips here.
