Too much or too little of anything is not good for you. It seems to be such a simple concept; but, simple it isn’t. If it were, then we wouldn’t need information to remind us just how dangerous too much or too little can be to our health. Sugar is one of those things we need to be reminded about from time to time.
On average, adults in the USA in 2010 consumed about 15% of their daily calories — about 300 calories a day, based on a 2,000- calorie diet — from added sugars. The World Health Organization recommends consuming less than 10% of calories from added sugars.
With such numbers it makes sense to choose items that contain less added sugar. To do that it is important to read the labels of what you buy and to remember that items with low fat could very well contain added sugar. A recent report posted by the BBC gives us a few examples of some items that contain added sugar. The list may surprise you:
• Fat free doesn’t mean sugar free, especially when it comes to yogurt. Sugar is usually added to add flavor and texture when fat is removed. A 5oz serving of some 0% fat yogurts can contain the equivalent of five teaspoons of sugar.
• A tomato-based pasta sauce may have certain health benefits, but a shop-bought one can also be packed with sugar. It’s often added to make the sauce taste less acidic. A third of an average-sized jar can contain about three teaspoons of added sugar.
• And while coleslaw is mostly shredded vegetables, it also comes with an added serving of sugar. The mayonnaise is largely to blame. A couple of spoonfuls on your plate is equivalent to a couple of teaspoons of sugar.
• The sugar content in the average slice of processed bread varies but can be as high as six teaspoons. Some sugar is formed naturally in the baking process but it is often added too.
