The Truth about Sugar - FAQs
What is sugar or sugars?
The word “sugars” describes the group of carbohydrates that help make our food sweet. These sweet
carbohydrates have different names because of their chemical structures. For example, “glucose”,
fructose” and “lactose” are different types of sugars.
When we say “sugar” we are usually talking about white or brown table sugar (or sucrose).
Carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, milk and fruit are made up of different sugars. For example,
different fruits contain different combinations of sugars including fructose, sucrose and glucose; while
milk is mostly lactose.
In your body, most of the sugar that you eat will eventually be broken down into glucose. Glucose is the
sugar that provides energy for our organs and tissues.
Are some types of sugar better choices than others?
All sugars, whether they are naturally occurring in a food or added to a food, have the same nutritional
value and are handled by your body in the same way. All sugars provide 4 calories per gram (16 calories
per teaspoon).
Choose foods most often that have naturally occurring sugar, such as:
fruits
vegetables and
milk
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This is because the sugar is also packaged with lots of other vitamins and minerals. Choosing these
foods will help you to better maintain your weight and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
Avoid foods with lots of added sugars. Added sugars are when food manufacturers add sugars to foods
to provide sweetness and flavour. Sugar might also be added to food to improve colour, texture and
increase the item’s shelf-life.
Added sugars are found in many processed foods, especially those that are high in fat and
calories. However, sometimes you may find them in surprising places, like breakfast cereals and
yogurt. This is why it’s important to read food labels.
You can spot added sugars by looking for ingredients that end in “ose” as well as ingredients like liquid
invert sugar, molasses, honey, maple syrup, and corn syrup.
Other things to note:
Brown sugar is not more nutritious than white. Brown sugar is usually white sugar with molasses
added to the sugar crystals.
Honey is not better for you than white sugar. All sugar – whether it is honey, white sugar, brown
sugar, maple syrup or molasses – provide energy (calories) but no significant amounts of other
nutrients.
Different sugars are used to provide different tastes and textures to food.
How much sugar can I eat in a day?
There is no specific amount of sugar that is recommended for healthy eating. Remember – white table
sugar and other sugars added to foods will contribute extra calories to your diet, but have no nutritional
value on their own. Foods that are high in sugar are often also high in fat and calories.
Over the long run, to better control your weight and to prevent chronic disease, you’re better off
choosing foods that have naturally occurring sugar such as fruits, milk and vegetables.
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What should I look for on a food label when looking for information
about sugar?
“Sugars” is one of the core nutrients listed on the Nutrition Facts table. It is listed under
carbohydrates. There is no % Daily Value for sugars because there is no target recommendation for how
much sugar a healthy adult should eat in a day. Keep in mind that the Nutrition Facts table lists total
sugars, which includes both added and naturally occurring sugars
You will also want to look at the ingredient list when looking for sources of sugar. Here are some words
to look for. When you see these ingredients it means that the food has added sugars.
Sucrose, sugar, liquid sugar, invert sugar
Words that end in “ose” such as glucose, fructose and dextrose
Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrin
Honey, molasses, maple syrup
Concentrated fruit juice
I read so many claims about sugar on the foods I buy. What do they all
mean?
Here are some of the most common claims about sugar that you will find on food packages:
Sugar-related Claim
What it means
“Sugar-free” or “Sugarless”
Each reference amount (a standard serving decided by the manufacturer) contains
less than 0.5 g of sugar or less than 5 calories.
No added sugars
The product contains no added sugars (such as honey, molasses, concentrated fruit
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juice, glucose, fructose, etc).
Reduced or lower in sugar
Compared to a similar product of the same portion size, the food contains at least
25% and 5g less sugar.
Unsweetened
The food contains no added sugars or sweeteners (such as aspartame or
sucralose).
Some claims like, “light in sugar”, “low carbohydrate” or “source of complex carbohydrate” are no longer
allowed on food packages.
My children are always hyper after they eat too much cake and candy. Is
it the sugar that is causing their behaviour?
No. Sugar will not cause children to be hyperactive.
So why do people believe that feeding their children sugar will cause them to be hyperactive? It may be
because foods with lots of sugar (such as candy and pop) also contain artificial colours and
preservatives. There is some research that shows that these food additives may be linked to hyperactive
behaviour. However, much more research is needed before we can say anything for certain.
If your children have a lot of energy when they eat cake and candy it could be because of where the
food is being served. Birthday parties and other special events may cause children to get excited, which
may then be blamed on the sugar instead of the excitement over the special occasion.
Children with true hyperactivity (such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) may act irritable,
aggressive and restless, and have short attention spans. This disorder should always be diagnosed by a
doctor.
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Does sugar cause cavities?
Yes - if you don’t take care of your teeth. Sugar, just like other carbohydrates, can promote tooth
decay. Bacteria live on our teeth and they feed on carbohydrate that gets stuck to the tooth
surface. When you eat sticky, sweet foods like candy and toffee and don’t clean your teeth afterwards,
the bacteria start to eat the sugar, which produces acid. This acid may then begin to break down the
enamel on your teeth, which can lead to tooth decay and cavities.
If you’re going to eat sugary, sticky foods, eat them with your meals and then brush your teeth. If you
can’t brush your teeth eat an apple or chew a piece of sugarless gum. The saliva you make when
chewing gum helps to wash some of the sugar off your teeth.
Cavities can be prevented by brushing with toothpaste containing fluoride, flossing regularly, and visiting
the dentist.
Does sugar cause diabetes?
No. Eating foods high in sugar will not cause diabetes. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
Age – being 40 years of age and older
Member of a high risk ethnic group – Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, or African descent
Overweight - especially if you have extra weight around the belly
Family history
Health conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high blood triglycerides and
polycystic ovary syndrome
Pregnancy related - gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 4 kg (9 lb) or had gestational
diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
Being diagnosed with pre-diabetes
While sugar itself will not cause diabetes, eating a lot of foods that are high in sugar, fat and calories can
lead to weight gain. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for diabetes. About 80% of people
with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
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What is high fructose corn syrup and are there any health concerns?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a liquid sweetener made from cornstarch. It is made by breaking
down corn into molecules of glucose. Half the glucose molecules are then chemically changed into
fructose. On food labels, you may see HFCS called “glucose-fructose”.
HFCS is a very common added sugar found in processed foods. The most common food to find HFCS is
in pop. In fact, 70% of HFCS ends up in soft drinks! However, it is also found in fruit drinks, candied
fruits, canned fruits, dairy desserts, flavoured yogurts, cereals, baked goods and jellies.
Animal studies show that consuming HFCS may affect some risk factors for diabetes and heart
disease. However, there is no scientific evidence that shows that HCFS increases the risk for diabetes
or heart disease in humans. Foods that contain HFCS may also be high in calories, and eating too many
of those foods could lead to weight gain.
One health concern with eating too much HFCS is that it can cause digestive problems, like pain,
bloating and diarrhea. This is because HFCS is not absorbed by the body in the same way as other
sugars.
How can I reduce the amount of sugar in recipes?
Here are a few tricks to reducing sugar in baked goods:
For most recipes, you can reduce the sugar called for by ¼ to 1/3 the amount. So if the recipe asks
for 1 cup of sugar, you can try using 2/3 to ¾ of a cup. Reducing the amount of sugar in a recipe
may also change the texture of the final product. Experiment with your recipe until you get the
desired level of sweetness and texture.
When you reduce some of the sugar, add a touch of cinnamon, vanilla or almond extract to give a
sense of sweet flavour.
You can substitute sugar with the artificial sweetener sucralose. 1 cup of white sugar is equal to 1
cup of sucralose. Sucralose is stable under high heat, which is why it is a good baking and sugar
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substitute.
Other artificial sweeteners (eg. Aspartame) are not good for cooking and baking because they
cannot stand up to high temperatures. Instead, they can be used in products that are not baked,
such as in tea or coffee.
For more information on sugar:
Sugars and Sweeteners, Canadian Diabetes Association
Sugars and Health, Canadian Sugar Institute
Do you have any other questions on the information in this article? Call EatRight Ontario at 1-877-5105102
This content from www.eatrightontario.ca is Copyright © Dietitians of Canada 2015, unless otherwise indicated.
The content is not meant to replace advice from your medical doctor or counselling from a Registered Dietitian.
It is intended for educational purposes only. Dietitians of Canada acknowledges the financial support of EatRight
Ontario by the Ontario government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the province.
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