A Taste For The Sweet Stuff

Sugar has a bittersweet reputation when it comes to our health. Sugar occurs naturally in all foods that contain carbohydrates, such as fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy. Consuming whole foods that contain sugar is in fact good for you. Since your body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy to your cells. A high intake of fruit, vegetables and whole grains have also been shown to have a protective effect against chronic diseases like Diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

The problem comes in when foods contain added sugar like fizzy drinks, sweets, biscuits, cakes and chocolates. Sugar is also added to the most unexpected of products like tomato sauce, marinades peanut butter and some cereals.

 

Here are some strategies to limit the amount of sugar in your diet:

Read labels:

Look at the ingredients list: ingredients are listed in order of how much exists in the product. So if sugar is one if the first three items on the list- avoid!

Also avoid foods that contain more than 4g sugar per serving (4g sugar equals one teaspoon sugar)

Sugar called by any other name is still sugar:

Manufacturers use several sneaky nick names for sugar on labels to throw you off track. Some of these are: high fructose corn syrup, cane syrup, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, fructose, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, caramel and honey.

Don’t reach for “fake” sugar:

Do not switch to artificial sweeteners for your sweet fix. When you eat something sweet (whether it contains actual sugar or an artificial variety) your brain expects energy and nutrients. When it doesn’t get it, cravings for more sweetness occur

Eat your kilojoules, don’t drink them:

Fizzy drinks aren’t the only sugar-packed beverages out there. Even drinks that are considered healthy can contain more sugar than what you are allowed in an entire day. Examples are: flavoured water (8 teaspoons sugar per 500ml), iced-tea (4 teaspoons sugar per tin), energy drinks (almost 7 teaspoons sugar per can) and store-bought smoothies (some contain up to 12 teaspoons sugar per serving)

Even 100% fruit juice should be avoided. It might contain a lot of vitamins and anti-oxidants, but it is a concentrated source of fructose (fruit sugar), which leads to glucose spikes and dips. Rather stick to eating whole fruits.

Better beverage choices include water; natural sparkling water with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice; water infused with mint and cucumber; herbal teas (you can drink them hot or cold with ice)

Avoid sugar-containing sauces:

Sauces like BBQ-sauce, chutney, tomato sauce and sweet chilli sauce are found in most kitchen cupboards. However, many people are not aware of how high these actually are in sugar. Some varieties contain no added sugar, but read your label to make sure.

Here are some better ways to flavour your food:

  • Fresh or dried herbs and spices
  • Fresh chilli
  • Whole-grain mustard
  • Vinegar
  • Pesto
  • Mayonnaise (although it is sugar-free it is high in fat, so opt for low-fat varieties and limit your portion)

Be careful of canned foods:

Canned foods, even canned fruit and vegetables, may contain added sugar. Always read the labels to ensure you choose versions without it

Be careful of “healthy” snacks:

Snacks like granola bars, protein bars and even dried fruit can contain as much, if not more, sugar as unhealthy sweets and cookies. Some granola bars contain up to 8 teaspoons added sugar per serving! Dried fruit might be full of fibre and nutrients, but is also full of concentrated natural sugar, and should be eaten in moderation.

Rather snack on fresh fruit, raw nuts, low-fat biltong, low-fat plain yoghurt or a boiled egg

STICK WITH IT!!

At first, cutting down on sugar can feel like an impossible task. Eventually, though, your taste buds will adjust. Super sweet foods like ice-cream and chocolate will start to taste too sweet. Where you could easily have had a whole slice of cake in one sitting before, now a few bites will be enough. You will more clearly notice the natural sweetness in fruit and even some vegetables- and they will start tasting better as well!!