Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Healthy Eating: Choose Less Sugar

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, What is Sugar? The group of carbohydrates that help make our food sweet. Choose naturally occurring sugar more often. Limit foods with too much added sugar.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Canada’s Food Guide and Sugar Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added sugar. Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice. Choose grain products that are lower in sugar. Limit foods and beverages high in sugar.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Canada’s Food Guide and Sugar  Fresh fruit without added sugar  Unsweetened frozen fruit  Canned fruit packed in juice or water  Lower sugar sauces and dressings on vegetables and salads Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added sugar. Can you think of ways to enjoy vegetables and fruit without added sugar?

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice. What are the benefits of eating vegetables and fruit rather than drinking juice? Canada’s Food Guide and Sugar

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Canada’s Food Guide and Sugar Choose grain products that are lower in sugar. Can you think of grain products that are lower in sugar?  Lower sugar cereals  Whole grain breads  Homemade baked goods (made with less sugar)

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Canada’s Food Guide and Sugar Limit foods and beverages high in sugar. Can you guess how many teaspoons of sugar are in one serving of these foods and beverages?

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Sources of Sugar = = = = 15 tsp 60 g 8 tsp 33 g 8 tsp 32 g 7 ½ tsp 30 g

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Question: Is brown sugar or honey more nutritious than white sugar?

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Answer: No. All sugar provides energy (calories) with no significant amounts of other nutrients.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Health Risks Which of the following are health risks of eating too much sugar?  dental cavities  hyperactivity in children  weight gain  diabetes  heart disease How much is too much sugar? Limit sugar to: 6 teaspoons (24 g) per day for women 9 teaspoons (36 g) per day for men

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Reading Food Labels for Sugar Is this product a good choice? - granola bar First, compare the serving to the amount you would eat. How many grams of sugar? Remember, a teaspoon of sugar has 4 grams of sugar.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Reading Food Labels for Sugar –white sugar –brown sugar, –molasses, –honey, –maple syrup –corn sweeteners –glucose, –fructose, –dextrose, –maltose –sucrose. Ingredients: granola (whole grain rolled oats, sugar, canola oil, fructose, salt, baking soda, soy lecithin, rosemary extract, sodium carbonate), high maltose corn syrup, rice flour, raisins, almonds, honey, roasted peanuts, sugar, fructose, sunflower seeds, cranberries, maltodextrin, canola oil, soy lecithin, malt extract, salt, peanut oil, natural flavour, tocopherols, sunflower oil, monoglycerides, rice extract, rosemary extract.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Question: Are artificial sweeteners safe?

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Answer: Yes, artificial sweeteners are safe when used in moderation.

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, Sugar Shock Activity

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, How to Choose Less Sugar Beverages 0 g 0 tsp 26 g 6 ½ tsp 48 g 12 tsp 42 g 10 ½ tsp 28 g 7 tsp

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, How to Choose Less Sugar Beverages Dilute juice or cocktails with water or soda water Add lemon or lime juice to water Choose “diet” or “sugar-free” beverages Try sugar-free drink crystals or syrups Choose 100% fruit juice rather than punches and cocktails Read food labels

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, How to Choose Less Sugar Foods 14 g 3 ½ tsp 18 g 4 ½ tsp 22 g 5 ½ tsp 25 g 6 tsp 75 g 19 tsp

Lesson 8 The Healthy Eating Manual, Nutrition Resource Centre, How to Choose Less Sugar Foods Use applesauce in baking Enjoy fresh fruit or yogurt for dessert Choose canned fruit in water Enjoy lower sugar, whole grain cereals Use small amounts of jam, syrup, honey Read food labels