Sugar: some facts and 4 ways to reduce your intake

When you ask most people what makes food sweet, they'll usually say sugar. But these days added sugars come in almost as many varieties as the different foods that they sweeten. Here's some more information and a few tips on how to reduce your intake of these sugars.

There are many sugars that are added to foods these days. They include things like glucose, fructose, maltose, hydrolyzed starch, invert sugar and corn syrup.

Cambridge University researchers, who studied more than 10,000 people aged between 45 and 79 over five years, discovered that people with high blood sugar levels were at even higher risk of heart disease than people with diabetes (there is a proven link between heart disease and diabetes).

Obesity, and its alarming increase in the general population, is also a key issue here.

A World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations joint report stated that an individual's intake of added sugars should be limited to less than 10 percent of the calories that they consume daily.

Excess sugar consumption is a factor in weight gain and has been implicated in the development of diabetes as well as heart disease.

On Nutritional Facts labels, look for the "Carbohydrates (of which sugars)" figure. More than 10 grams (two teaspoons) of sugar per 100 grams (1/3 cup) is a lot; less than two grams (1/2 teaspoon) is a little.

The ingredients contained in a product are usually listed from largest to smallest so beware if sugars (under any name) are high on the list. And watch out for sugar in all its guises, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltose.

If you reject added sweetness you can lower your blood sugar, insulin and triglycerides. You may also find it easier to achieve weight loss.

1. Enjoy natural sweet treats such as fruit — fresh, frozen (without syrup), canned in its own juice, or dried (provided it's not sugar coated). Fruit brings you a wealth of fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as well.
2. Limit processed fruit juice or soft drinks. If you absolutely must have a soft drink, choose the diet version. Try soda water or sparkling mineral water with a splash of orange or lemon juice; or just enjoy refreshing plain water.
3. Take your reading glasses, if necessary, to the grocery store. So many products such as apple sauce, stewed tomatoes, baked beans and pasta sauce contain added sugars — but there may be more natural versions available.
4. Try to cut the sugar you add to cereals, tea or coffee. Many cereals are already sweetened (check the label) and you'll probably find you quickly get used to unsweetened beverages — in the end you may even prefer the taste.

Keep all of this information in mind to help you make informed choices when it comes to all forms of added sugars and reducing your sugar intake.