Understanding Natural vs Added Sugars

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate found in foods and drinks. Your daily sugar intake includes naturally occurring sugars found in fruits (fructose), milk (lactose), and other whole foods. 

On the other hand, added sugars are present in processed foods like snacks and sodas and are added during manufacturing. 

Knowing which types of sugars contribute to your daily intake can help you make better dietary choices.

Health Risks of Excess Sugar Consumption

The World Health Organisation (WHO) mentions there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables.

Consuming too much added sugar daily can lead to chronic health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Prolonged intake of added sugars contributes to extra calories. One teaspoon of sugar provides 20 calories. Therefore, seven teaspoons of sugar provide 140 calories. These 140 calories which will be converted to 20 g of body fat if unused.

Are you aware that in one year’s time, this prolonged sugar intake pattern will result in 600 g of body fat per month and 7.2 kg body per year?

Over time, this condition leads to weight gain and obesity, which results in chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Excessive sugar intake has also been associated with dental caries.

Therefore, it is important to pay attention the amount of sugar that we consume daily, inclusive of hidden sugars.

How Much Sugar Per Day Is Safe

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Malaysian Dietary Guidelines recommended that the amount of total daily sugar intake (including hidden sugar) for average Malaysia adults should be:

• Limited to not more than 10% of our daily energy consumption, or
• Not exceeding 10 teaspoons a day (50g)

Staying within these limits can significantly reduce the risk of obesity and related chronic diseases.

Understanding “Carbohydrates (of which sugars)” on Nutrition Labels

When reading nutrition labels, specifically look for the “Carbohydrates of which sugars” figure, located within the carbohydrate section. This figure indicates total sugar content but does not distinguish between added sugars and natural sugars from sources like fruit and milk.

To manage your daily sugar intake effectively, use this information to compare and choose products lower in overall sugar. Remember, foods with more than 22.5g of sugars per 100g are high in sugar, those with 5g or less are low, and anything in between is considered medium.

Identifying Added Sugars in Ingredients Lists

• To determine if a product contains high levels of free sugars, inspect the ingredients list. Ingredients are listed in order of quantity, from highest to lowest.
• A high position of sugars or synonyms for sugar such as honey, brown sugar, or high-fructose corn syrup indicates significant added sugar content.
• Recognising these terms is crucial for managing how much sugar you consume daily, especially if you're trying to adhere to health guidelines for sugar intake.

Understanding Front-of-Package Sugar Labels

• Front-of-package nutrition labels often feature color-coded systems to indicate sugar content quickly:
• Red signifies high sugar (over 22.5g per 100g).
• Amber means medium (5g to 22.5g per 100g).
• Green denotes low sugar (5g or less per 100g).
• These labels also might show sugars as a percentage of your daily recommended intake (RI), with the total RI for sugars set at 90g per day, including 30g of free sugars.
• Quickly checking these labels can help you manage your daily sugar intake more effectively by making informed choices at a glance.

The Impact of Sugar on Weight Management

Consuming excessive amounts of sugar often leads to an increase in calorie intake, which can cause weight gain. Managing your daily sugar intake is crucial not only for weight control but also for reducing the risk of serious health issues such as heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. To maintain a healthy, balanced diet, prioritise calories from nutritious sources like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Foods high in free sugars should be limited or avoided.

Practical Tips to Control Your Daily Sugar Intake

If you are looking for ways to cut down added sugar in your diet, here is what you can do to change your sugar habit.

1. Choose whole foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. Choose unsweetened plain yoghurts and desserts low in sugar.
3. Avoid high-sugar foods like doughnuts, cookies, cakes, ice cream, candies, local delicacies like ais kacang and cendol.
4. Limit dried and canned fruits because they have high content of added sugar.
5. Choose plain water over high-sugar beverages or try plain water flavoured with citrus slices, cucumber, fresh mint, etc.
6. Ask for less sweet version when you order beverages sweetened with condensed milk, sweetened creamer, and syrup.
7. Avoid consumption of carbonated drinks, sports drinks, fruit juices.
8. Make it a habit to check food labels and compare sugar content on food and drink packaging.
9. Limit sugary food and drink during main meals or near bedtime.
10. Reduce sugar amount used in recipes and avoid relying on artificial sweeteners.

The goal is to make small changes along the way until your taste buds are adjusted over time towards sweetness level.

Sugar Substitutes: Alternatives to Sugar with Mixed Health Benefits

Sugar substitutes, ranging from artificial sweeteners to natural intense sweeteners, offer alternatives to sugar with fewer or no kilojoules (calories). Common types include:

• Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose are used widely in 'diet' or 'no sugar' products. It is not suitable for individuals with phenylketonuria due to the presence of phenylalanine.
• Nutritive Sweeteners: Fructose, isomalt, mannitol, xylitol, sorbitol, and polydextrose, which contain similar or fewer calories than sugar.
• Natural Intense Sweeteners: Stevia and monk-fruit extract, which are calorie-free and derived from plants, require only small amounts due to their intense sweetness.

While sugar substitutes do not contribute calories, they lack nutritional value and are not essential for a healthy diet. Their effectiveness in long-term weight control and disease risk reduction is not conclusively proven.

The World Health Organisation advises against using sugar substitutes for weight control or reducing disease risk from sugar overconsumption, recommending a reduction in added sugar intake. Common uses include sweetening beverages like tea and coffee and as sugar alternatives in baking and cooking.

Take Control of Your Sugar Intake Today

Contact the team of dietitians at your nearest Gleneagles Hospital if you have questions about how to reduce sugar intake and to get professional nutrition and dietary advice in your journey towards better health.

If you would like to make an appointment for health screening, please contact the health screening centre at the Gleneagles Hospital nearest to you.

Reference

1. Facts about sugar. Available at http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/facts-about-sugar/ [Accessed on 4 August 2022]
2. Consume foods and beverages low in sugar. Available at https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/images/gallery/Garispanduan/diet/km10.pdf [Accessed on 4 August 2022]
3. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children. Available at https://www.who.int/news/item/04-03-2015-who-calls-on-countries-to-reduce-sugars-intake-among-adults-and-children#:~:text=A%20new%20WHO%20guideline%20recommends,would%20provide%20additional%20health%20benefits [Accessed on 4 August 2022]