We are often driven to eat, not by hunger but by our emotions.

We are drawn foremost by taste, then aroma, appearance and texture

One ingredient, sugar, can do it all!

Naturally occurring Sugars 

These are the sugars found in fruit & vegetables (Fructose)

They are the best source of energy and they are a great source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

It’s better to eat fruit whole rather than drink fruit (juice). The fruit sugar is released a lot slower and you are not missing out on the fruit fibre. Fruit is however higher in fructose than vegetables so aim to eat more vegetables than fruit.

Did you know?

Grapes and bananas have double the amount of sugar as oranges and berries!

Dried fruit has 4 times the amount of sugar than fresh fruit!

Added Sugar – Read the label

Added sugar is mainly found in processed foods and beverages. Top sources of added sugar include sweetened beverages, baked goods, dairy desserts, sweets and cereal.

Sugar appears on packaging labels in many “disguises”. 

All the “ose” – dextrose, fructose (high fructose corn syrup), galactose, glucose, lactose (milk sugar), maltose, saccharose, xylose. agave, barley malt, invert sugar, palm sugar, treacle, rice syrup… There are too many to mention them all.

The quantity of sugar is also an important factor.

4g of sugar = 1 tsp

The recommended daily intake (RDI) is 6 tsp for women and

9 tsp for men

Signs/side effects of  too much sugar

Obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, premature ageing, fatty liver, poor memory, weaker bones, inflammation, constipation, kidney stones, poor digestion, depression, mood swings, feeds cancer, headaches & migraines, hormonal imbalance, sugar energy spikes and dips, anxiety, difficulty sleeping; hunger pangs when blood sugar low; weight gain & abdominal fat, tooth decay, acne

Facts:

• South Africans are amongst the most overweight people in Africa. Figures show 39% of women are obese and 11% of men. (Wits Uni study)

• Our excessive sugar consumption has resulted in sugar tax – specifically tax on sweetened beverages

Do you want to reduce your sugar intake? 

OR Go sugar free for 7 days? 

Take up the sugar free challenge and see how good your body can feel. 

“Eat less sugar, you’re sweet enough already”

Yours in good health

Fiona/ Into Nutrition