Contents
In this article you will learn, among others:
- What is the correct daily sugar intake?
- Is sugar harmful?
- How much sugar can there be in the diet?
- How much sugar is there in the products?
What is the correct daily sugar intake?
Glucose is the body’s primary ‘fuel’. Without it, the body cannot function well. The minimum daily supply of digestible carbohydrates to ensure good brain function is approx 130 gram. However, this does not mean that we should eat at least that amount of sugar from the sugar bowl. These should be carbohydrates provided with food products. It is especially worth reaching for products rich in complex carbohydrates, which the body breaks down slowly, thanks to which blood sugar remains stable. Therefore, you should reach for whole grains, vegetables, but also fruit, which also contain simple sugars, but with the simultaneous presence of dietary fiber. It is recommended that complex carbohydrates account for up to 70 percent of your total energy each day. You can read more about the role of carbohydrates in the diet in ‘Why carbohydrates in the diet?’.
Is sugar harmful?
Carbohydrates can be divided into simple (glucose, fructose, galactose) and complex (sucrose, lactose, starch). We can also distinguish refined carbohydrates, i.e. purified carbohydrates, which is a perfect example granulated sugar or white flour. Although the presence of carbohydrates in the diet is necessary for action, the excess of simple and purified sugars causes a number of health problems, from tooth decay to diabetes to an increased risk of cancer.
How much sugar can there be in the diet?
According to the recommendations of the Food and Nutrition Institute, the amount of energy in the daily menu comes from sucrose should not exceed 10 percent. The AHA (American Heart Association) recommends that the sugar hidden in the diet of men should not constitute more than 150 kcaland in women 100 kcal (1 g of carbohydrates, sugar is 4 kcal). WHO (World Health Organization), in turn, encourages the reduction of the daily consumption of sugar (simple sugars and sucrose) up to 5 percent total daily energy supply. It is easy to count the teaspoons of sugar added to drinks, but we often do not realize how much sugar is in the finished products that we buy and eat. You will find sugar not only in sweet drinks, juices and sweets, but also in bread, cereals, ready meals and salads.
How much sugar is there in the products?
The standards for the amount of sugar in the diet are strict. It is very easy to exceed them if you reach for sweets, ready meals or drinks. It is worth taking a look at the products below.
These are just a few examples, so every day read the composition and nutritional value on the product packaging. Remember that the ingredients on the label are listed in descending order (the one with the most is at the top of the list). So if sugar (or glucose, fructose, glucose fructose syrup) is in one of the first three places, that product shouldn’t be in your basket.
And how much sugar do you eat daily? Can you limit sugar in your diet? Do you have proven sugar substitutes? Share with us in the comments!
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