The Sugar Factor
Sugar
The dangers of added and hidden sugar are paramount today as many turn to
convenience and prepared foods due to lifestyle, time, effort and misinformation.
Any food item with a long shelf life will contain a preservative. Sometimes it is
a chemical but often it is increased sugar or salt content.
The daily recommended amount of added sugar is 50g (which is 12.5 teaspoons) whereas the
reality is that most adults consume, on average, 84g per day. It should also be noted that this
recommendation is based on a normal daily consumption of 2000 calories which we know is not
typical of many adults, especially those who want to lose weight.
Sugar is a Carbohydrate, which we now know is our energy source. The problem is sugar is a
simple carbohydrate so the food is turned into energy (glucose) more rapidly than Complex
Carbohydrates.
Unfortunately, food manufacturers use many ploys to disguise sugar and so it comes in many
forms. In most cases you will be looking for the ingredients that end in ‘ose’. But it’s not
always that simple. Below are forms of sugar used in processed foods to be aware of.......








Glucose
Dextrose
Fructose
Invert Syrup
Corn Syrup
Raw Sugar
Brown Sugar
Demerara Sugar






Glucose Syrup
Lactose (found in dairy products)
Maltose
Hydrolysed Starch
Treacle
Honey
Also, don’t be fooled into thinking some of the alternative sugars are ‘healthier’. Different
types of sugar exist for texture or depth of taste but the bottom line they are all sugar – with
the same affect!
The Science of Sweet
Susan M. Kleiner, PhD, RD
All sugars are carbohydrates, known as "simple" carbohydrates, since they're
composed of just one sugar molecule. The label on a can of Pepsi reads 41 grams of
carbohydrates and 41 grams of sugar. This means that every single carbohydrate
comes from sugar.
In this age of convenience foods, the terms complex and simple can be a bit outdated.
For the purpose of losing fat, it's smarter to look at carbohydrates as either "unrefined" or
"processed." The former refers to whole foods that contain sugar, such as fruits, vegetables,
juices, grains and legumes, and that still hold their natural water, fibre, phytochemicals,
vitamins and minerals. Processed foods include white bread, fizzy drinks, sweets, crackers,
biscuits and just about any commercial product labelled "fat-free." These have been stripped of
their wholesome attributes and are dense with nothing but empty calories. For instance, one
The Sugar Factor
gram of a cracker will contain four calories, but one gram of an orange contains about 0.2
calories, because the bulk of its weight is water and fibre.
To calculate the teaspoons of sugar in a food item, take the total grams of
sugar listed, and divide that number by 4 to equal the number of
teaspoons of sugar in that item.
Per 100g/ml a product would be deemed to be high in sugar if it exceeded 15g, low would be if it
was 5g or less
Sugar Hide-And-Seek
By Susan Bowerman, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D.
Say the word “sugar” and most people picture the familiar white granular stuff many of us have
in a sugar bowl at home. But what is sugar exactly?
Table sugar is just one form of sugar that we get in the diet. Sugars are carbohydrates and they
exist naturally in different forms and in all kinds of foods. The granulated sugar that you might
sprinkle on your cereal is called sucrose, which is produced primarily by extracting the sugar
from sugar beets or sugar cane, although it is present in lots of other plant foods, too. The
primary sugar in fruits is called fructose and there is a naturally occurring sugar in milk called
lactose. When you consume a fruit, a vegetable or a dairy product, you can’t avoid consuming
the natural sugar that these foods contain.
All sugars ultimately end up in the bloodstream in the form of glucose, which is the form of
sugar that our body prefers to use for energy. While sugars in foods end up as glucose in the
bloodstream, so do the end-products of the digestion of all carbohydrate-rich foods like fruits,
vegetables and starchy foods.
The concern about sugar intake from added sugars (not the naturally occurring ones) has mostly
to do with the fact that they are considered to be “empty calories” – that is, sugar provides
calories (which the body uses for energy) but no vitamins or minerals. So, if you consume a lot
of sugary foods instead of healthier items, you are short-changing yourself by not getting enough
of the vitamins, minerals, fibre and healthy phytonutrients that carbohydrate-rich natural foods
contain.
We eat a lot of sugar – even in foods that don’t taste sweet. Aside from the obvious items like
soft drinks, fruit drinks, sweetened cereals and desserts, sugar – in one form or another – finds
its way into condiments, soups, breads and even savoury snacks like crisps. The primary health
hazard of eating too much sugar is tooth decay. The bacteria that live in your mouth can
convert sugars into an acid that can destroy tooth enamel. Foods that are sweet and sticky, like
fruit snacks or gummy sweets, are particularly a problem since the sugar stays in contact with
the teeth.
Does sugar make you fat? Certainly sugar adds extra calories to the diet, and extra calories
mean extra weight. Most studies have focused on soft drink consumption and several have
concluded that as soft drinks consumption increases, so does the risk of obesity. Part of the
problem with beverages is that they don’t fill us up – so we can consume a lot of calories in
The Sugar Factor
these sweet liquids and still consume regular solid foods, too, before we feel full.
The other issue is that many foods that are high in added sugars are also high in fats and
calories – cakes, pastries, ice cream and chocolate bars are just some of the sweet foods we eat
that are loaded down with fat and calories. Food manufacturers are more than happy to
accommodate our sweet tooth – sugar is inexpensive and adds a lot of taste to foods. To know
how much sugar you are eating, it’s important to understand that many forms of sugar are
added to foods. By reading the label, you may not realise how much sugar a food really
contains.
One popular breakfast cereal marketed to children has the following ingredients: corn, sugar,
corn syrup, modified cornstarch, canola oil and high-fructose corn syrup, followed by some
vitamins, minerals, and artificial colours and flavours. This cereal isn’t much more than a bowl
of sugar, oil and starch.
When you look at a food label, the sugar content is listed – in grams per serving – just under the
total carbohydrate listing. But this includes all sugars in the food including natural sugars, so it
can be deceptive. For instance, a bran cereal with no added sugar but with raisins in it might
look as high in sugar as a sugary kid’s cereal. But there is a big difference in the nutritional
value of the two foods, since one might contain only the natural sugar from the fruit, while the
kid’s cereal will contain all added sugar.
Added vs. Natural
Not surprisingly must natural products contain sugar but in its most natural form. Whilst we
should always be mindful of these and not ‘over consume’ the amount we eat; it is the products
that have added sugar that we need to be most wary of.
So, the closer you are to nature the less likely you are to have excessive amounts of added sugar
in your diet.
Below are some examples of where you would find sugar, both natural and added.
NATURAL SUGAR
Fruit
Vegetables
Dairy Products
ADDED SUGAR
Sweets
Bread/Cakes
Pastries
Cereals / Cereal Bars
Preserved Foods (Tinned/Jarred)
Fizzy Drinks
Ready Meals
As we can see, added sugar is in the foods we love! Our taste buds are tantalised by sweet
things from the moment we are born so it can only be expected that our palette prefers these.
The good news is we can re train our taste buds!
Whilst we should do our best to avoid the added sugars we can also limit some of our natural
sugars as well by making a simple switch. Many people believe that cow’s milk is the only
solution in order to get the calcium they need per day. But, did you know that unsweetened
Soya milk actually contains only 4mg less calcium per 100ml than semi-skimmed cow’s milk.
The added benefit is Soya milk also contains very little saturated fat (0.2g per 100ml vs. 1.1g
The Sugar Factor
semi-skimmed). As Soya milk is a plant based product it also contains fibre, something cow’s
milk doesn’t, which creates a feeling of fullness.
Below is a table of different milks available in the supermarket:
Per 100ml
Fat
Whole Cows Milk
Semi-Skimmed
Cows Milk
Unsweetened
Fresh Soya Milk
(Tesco/Morrisons
avg)
Rice Milk
(Rice Dream
Original)
Goats Milk
(Tesco Fresh
S/Skimmed)
Skimmed Milk
Lactofree SemiSkimmed Milk
Oat Milk (Oatly
Long Life)
Saturated
Fat
Protein
Calories
Fibre
Carbohydrate
Of
Which
Sugars
Calcium
3.9g 2.3g
1.8g 1.1g
3.3g
3.4g
67
49
0
0
4.7g
4.8g
4.7g
4.8g
120mg
124mg
1.2g 0.2g
2g
20
1.3g 0.2g
0.1g
120mg
1g
0.1g
0.1g
47
0.1g 9.4g
4g
Nil
7g
1.2g
3.1g
60
0
4.4g
4.4g
110mg
0.3g 0.1g
3
1.8g
3.6g
3.9g
37
41
0
5g
2.0g 2.9g
5g
2.9g
129mg
110mg
1.5g 0.2g
1g
45
0.8g 6.5g
4g
120mg
Insulin and the GI Factor
It is important to explain the simple process our body uses to convert food into energy and what
happens if we do not use that energy.
Body eats food

Body turns food into glucose (our fuel)

Stored in the short term as glycogen in muscles and liver

If glucose levels become too high, or consumed too quickly, and the glycogen levels are full; the
body produces insulin to store the excess glucose as fat

Therefore, if the body does not use the excess glucose we gain weight.
Because sugary foods turn into energy so quickly we soon find that we crave more of the same.
So, for example, when we eat breakfast that consists of cereal or white toast the energy
benefits are short lived and our body craves more of the same.
Eating meals that include both complex carbohydrates and lean protein (a Herbalife Formula 1
Smoothie of meal Bar), means that we stay fuller for longer and get the slow-release energy.
The Sugar Factor
Hidden Sugar
Now you are armed with this information it will be easier to identify our sources of natural
sugar. However, how do we find or avoid ‘hidden sugar’?
The simplest rule of thumb is to avoid convenience and refined foods. Any food item that has
been modified or added to is like to contain either sugar, salt or bad fats (or all three!). So, the
closest you stay to nature the easier you will find it to avoid added sugar.
Some food products contain added sugar but do not actually taste sweet. Something like salad
cream or tomato sauce are both high in sugar but not sweet tasting. Also, bread contains sugar
and in some case up to a teaspoon per slice!
So, remove convenience foods from your life and substitute cakes, pastries, biscuits etc. with
healthier but tasty alternatives
Hidden Sugar in Common ‘Healthy’ Products
Too Sugary?
Serving size
Teaspoons/cube
of sugar:
Weight
Watchers
Digestive
Biscuit
Alpen
Raspberry
Youghurt
Bar
Special K
with Berries
Kellogs All
Bran
Seeded
Batch Loaf
1 biscuit
1 bar
25g
25g
1 Slice
1
8 (3 x sugar
of a Twix)!
8 (same as
2 sugared
donuts)
4
1
Sizing Up Sugar For Kids
By Luigi Gratton, M.D., M.P.H.
Sugar is a short-term source of both energy and pleasure. But the fact is kids today are on sugar
overload! According to a study published in the Journal of the Dietetic Association, kids are
getting a staggering 29 teaspoons of refined sugar per day. This overconsumption of sugar is
causing a variety of problems and health issues.
Currently about a third of the nation’s children and teens are either overweight or obese and a
high-sugar diet is often the cause. Sugar can make it difficult to lose weight because of
constantly high insulin levels, which cause the body to store excess carbohydrates as fat. It can
also suppress the immune system, cause tooth decay and even lead to diabetes. What’s more,
too much sugar can also result in energy peaks and valleys.
Highs and Lows
After sugar consumption, children experience a rapid rise of the stimulant hormone adrenaline,
which causes hyperactivity. In fact, a recent study at Yale University School of Medicine
revealed that, when ingested by children, sugar releases twice the amount of adrenaline into
The Sugar Factor
the bloodstream as it does in adults. Kids then experience a crashing low, as refined sugars
break down very quickly in the body, leaving them tired, irritable and unable to concentrate.
The Culprits
So which foods contain the most calories from sugar? It all starts with breakfast. Sugar accounts
for more than a third of the weight of children’s cereals. They contain about 52 percent more
sugar than adult cereals and have less protein and fibre.
Another big concern is sugar-sweetened soft drinks. They are the largest source of added sugar
in the daily diet off children. Each 12 oz. carbonated soft drink contains the equivalent of 10
teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. And juice-flavoured drinks aren’t any better. They often
contain as much added sugar as soft drinks and also tend to be high in calories and low in
valuable nutrients.
So, instead of giving your child sugar-loaded cereals and drinks, offer them healthier
alternatives, such as fruit. It’s a naturally sweet snack that also contains fibre and vitamins they
need.
Artificial Sweeteners
For many years dieters have thought that swapping sugar for sweeteners will help them lose
weight but research has now changed that.
A sweet taste can prompt the body to prepare for a large intake of calories (from sugar). When
that doesn’t arrive, the body then becomes confused and either demands more food or burns
less energy – with the result showing on the scales.
“The data clearly indicate that consuming a food sweetened with no-calorie saccharin can
lead to greater body weight gain that the same food sweetened with high-calorie sugar”
So, best advice is avoid artificial sweeteners in your tea and coffee and avoid any food product
that contains sweeteners (e.g. products labelled ‘diet’).
????????? Nature’s Sugar vs Man Made Sweeteners
Nature's Sugar
Man-Made Sweeteners
The following is a list of some common natural Many of the following refined sugars can be
sugars that can be a little friendlier to your found in some of your favourite foods.
physique than refined ones. Although
unrefined, many of these sugars still pack a
Keep Your Distance!
caloric wallop and can be detrimental if
consumed in excessive amounts. Some are
worse than others.
□ Blackstrap Molasses: The liquid left behind □ Corn Syrup: Found in dozens of foods-salad
after sucrose is removed from beet juice or
sugar cane. Provides calcium and iron.
□ Date Sugar: Made of ground-up dates. Rich
with minerals and fibre.
□ Fructose:
Absorbed into the bloodstream
dressings, lunch meats, ice cream and
canned fruits. Enhances viscosity, texture
and colour.
□ Dextrose:
Comes from the hydrolysis of
cornstarch and serves as a yeast food in
The Sugar Factor
relatively slowly, creating only a moderate
rise in insulin levels.
□ Honey:
Will boost your energy, but
contains more calories and rots teeth faster
than sucrose (table sugar). Use in
moderation.
□ Maple Syrup: A sweetener that comes from
maple-tree sap. Abundant in minerals,
potassium and calcium.
□ Sucanat: A product of squeezing juice from
sugar cane. Similar to white sugar, but
contains vitamins and minerals that table
sugar doesn't.
breads, buns and rolls.
□ Brown Sugar: A refined sweetener derived
from sugar cane. Contains molasses syrup
and is found in many baked goods.
□ Granulated Sugar: Comes in many different
forms. Can be found in anything from your
sugar bowl at home to baked goods like
doughnuts and cookies.
□ High-Fructose Corn Syrup: Produced from
adding enzymes to cornstarch. Found in
soft drinks, ice cream and frozen desserts.
Invert Sugar: An equal mixture of glucose
and sucrose commonly found in carbonated
beverages.
Top Tips to Reduce Your Sugar Intake and Slow the Sugar Spike
□ Ensure
that whatever you eat is balanced in terms of protein, fibre and certain spices
(cinnamon or ginger) to slow absorption.
□ Start your day with the best breakfast your body could wish for
– a Herbalife Smoothie.
Perfectly balanced in terms of its protein and complex carbohydrates this meal will keep you
fuller for longer and release its energy from the complex carbs more slowly.
□ Fruit juices, even if they are 100 percent fruit juice, are all-natural sugar but they are very
high in calories – it’s best to avoid beverages with high calories, including fruit juices, soft
drinks, lemonade and other sweetened beverages. Learn to enjoy your tea for its natural
flavour, rather than for the flavour of the sugar that you pour into the mug.
□ Keep healthy snacks around, like whole fruits, cut vegetables, whole-grain crackers, low-fat
yogurt, your Herbalife protein bars, and low-fat cheese, so you won’t be tempted to eat
sweets instead.
□ Help your kids develop healthier habits – if they are old enough to read labels, give them a
list of all the names for sugar and ask them to become “sugar detectives.” They will enjoy
finding the hidden sources of sugar in foods, and it will help to educate them as to how much
sugar is added – sometimes where you least expect it.
□ Instead of unhealthy desserts, try a frozen yogurt such as Muller vitality or Alpro soya (buy
fresh and freeze yourself), or fresh raspberries and/or strawberries with some low fat
prebiotic yogurt with a sprinkling of cinnamon. One other great trick is to take unripe
bananas, peel and place them on a foil-lined tray in the freezer. Frozen bananas taste just
like ice cream and will satisfy your sweet tooth for significantly fewer calories-this should be
eaten on an empty stomach.
□ If you add sugar to foods and beverages routinely, try to gradually reduce the amount you
use. You may not really know the true flavour of these foods because you have “masked” the
flavour with sugar. Fresh fruits in season should be deliciously sweet – no added sugar
necessary.