Modern recommendations of the World Health Organization recommend limiting the amount of sugar in the diet: no more than 50 grams of free sugar per day (that's 10 teaspoons). For girls, half as much is better, 5 teaspoons, without a top.
What sources of free sugar should we consider when calculating the daily norm of 5 or 10 spoons? Let's conditionally divide them into 2 groups.
- The first group — products that naturally contain free sugars: fruit juice, including fresh, smoothies and honey. All these products were previously considered healthy, but you need to be very careful about their amount in the diet precisely because of the large amount of natural free sugar.
For example, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice contains the equivalent of almost 9 teaspoons of sugar.
- The second group is ready-made products: confectionery, breakfast cereals, semi-finished products, etc. Consider that their sugar is often hidden under other names: raw sugar, fruit concentrate, maltose (malt sugar), maltodextrin, dextrose, lactose, invert sugar, molasses and others.
These are also different syrups - glucose-fructose, glucose syrup, grape or apple concentrate, white grape juice, barley malt, rice syrup, maple and corn syrups
Sugar in processed products is especially dangerous, because its amounts sometimes exceed the scale. For example, a half-liter bottle of sweet carbonated drink contains about 11 spoons of sugar, which is already more than the maximum daily allowance. A half-liter chocolate milkshake can contain 22 spoons of sugar.
Why reduce sugar consumption? What will it give you?
- The risk of excess weight will decrease.
- The probability of cardiovascular, oncological diseases and diabetes will decrease.
- Dental health will improve.
What to do to consume less sugar?
1) stop or significantly reduce the consumption of sugary drinks.
This applies not only to cola and other sweet carbonated drinks, but also to fruit juices, nectars, fresh drinks and smoothies. The maximum rate of juice per day is 200 milliliters. It is better to drink plain water or by adding mint and other herbs, lemon,
orange, berries.
2) Gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add to your tea or coffee so your taste buds get used to the less sweet taste. Try adding natural flavors - citrus, cinnamon or other spices.
3) Replace snacks from store sweets, cookies and candies, with fruits or dried fruits and nuts, but also remember the portions. Leave the usual desserts, cakes and pastries for special occasions.
4) Read the labels! Learn to find sugar, even if it
disguised under other names. If sugar or its analogues are one of the first in the list of ingredients, it is better to postpone such a product.
5) Do not forget that sugar can be found where you do not expect to see it at all: in bread, canned vegetables, sauces. For example, a tablespoon of ketchup contains a teaspoon of sugar. Therefore, the fewer processed foods in your diet, the better. The ideal option is to learn how to cook the same sauces yourself.
To be continued! Lviv Lab Center Lviv Regional Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine
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