Sugar

By the end of this lesson you will:

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Activity 1:

Are honey and sugar the same?  Honey is a mixture of sugars (fructose, glucoses, sucrose, and other sugars), formed from nectar by bees.  Actually, the nutrient content of honey and table sugar is about the same.  But because a teaspoon of honey weights slightly more than a teaspoon of table sugar, it has somewhat more calories and carbohydrates.  Honey is sweeter than table sugar, so less can be used to sweeten foods.  Brown sugar is merely sugar crystals, flavored with molasses.  From a nutritional standpoint, it too has 16 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrate per teaspoon-the same amounts as table sugar.

How much sugar are Americans eating?

• The ingredients listed first on the ingredient list are the highest amount for that particular food item.

Where to Find Sugar on the Nutrition Facts Food Label

No daily reference value has been established because no recommendations have been made for the total amount of sugars to eat in a day. Keep in mind, the sugars listed on the Nutrition Facts panel include naturally occurring sugars (like those in fruit and milk) as well as those added to a food or drink. Check the ingredient list for specifics on added sugars.

The ingredient list is usually located under the Nutrition Facts Food Label of a food item or on the side of the food label.

Activity 2:
Ingredient List

Where's the sugar?

Remember sugar comes in many forms such as naturally occurring like fruit, milk and bread.  Sugar is also added to foods in forms such as sucrose and corn syrup. Examples of these foods are candies and soft drinks.  Many products add extra sugar that is not needed in our diet.  When buying juices look for items with "No sugar added" on the label.  When buying canned fruit, look for fruits "in it's own juice" or in "light syrup".  These items tend to have less sugar.  Listed below are foods containing a combination of both types of sugars.

Activity 3

Look at the table above and answer the following questions.

Teaspoons of Sugar in Breakfast Cereals

Other common foods that most children and adults eat are breakfast cereals. Like most packaged foods, cereals contain a lot of sugar. Let’s compare the sugar of breakfast cereals for a 1 cup serving in the table below.

Activity 4

Look at the above Breakfast Cereal table and answer the following questions.

Dietary Strategies for Consuming Less Sugar

Sugar and Obesity:

Eating sugar does not make you "fat".  Eating too many calories, not sugars, causes your body to produce extra pounds of body fat. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that confirms increasing total caloric intake combined with a lack of physical activity is the single most important factor in the development of the obesity crisis. In other words, we are eating the same amount or more of everything, but exercising less.

Have you ever wondered if a "sugar-free" food is also "calorie free"?  Not necessarily, so don't let the term confuse you.  A sugar-free food may not contain sugar, but may contain calories from other carbohydrates, fat, and protein.  To find the calories and total sugars in one serving of any packaged food, read the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label.

Sugar and Tooth Decay:

Sugar left on and in-between the teeth can cause cavities leading to tooth decay.  Eat healthy snacks to prevent erosion of the teeth.  Choose foods low in sugar like WIC cereals as opposed to high sugar cereals such as sugar smacks.  Minimize foods that are high in sugar such as cookies, candies, kool-aid and sodas.

Tips to Keep Gums and Teeth Healthy:

• Go easy on between-meal snacks.  When you do snack, try to eat the snack at one time rather than over a longer period.

• Brush twice a day, and floss daily - unless your dentist recommends cleaning your teeth more often.

• Be aware that brushing too often may be abrasive to your tooth enamel.

• Brush with fluoride toothpaste that has the American Dental Association's seal of approval.  The optimal amount of fluoride from toothpaste comes from brushing twice a day.

• Have a regular dental check-ups, which include a thorough cleaning.

• For infants, avoid the urge to pacify your baby with a bottle of juice, formula, or milk.  If you choose to use a bottle as a pacifier, fill it with water only.

• For children, talk to your dentist, doctor, or pediatric nurse about what amount of fluoride your child should have.

• Enjoy a balanced variety of foods from the five groups of the food guide pyramid!

Sugars in a Healthy Diet:

Sugars, in moderation, are part of a healthy diet.  By adding taste, aroma, texture, color, and body to all kinds of food, sugars - naturally-occurring or added - can make nutritious foods more appealing.

If your energy needs are low, go easy on the amount of sugars you consume, as well as the amount of fat.  And consume mostly nutrient-dense foods.  Those are foods that provide other nutrients - not just sugar.

Get your "carbs" mostly from starchy foods.  Pasta, rice, bread, other grain products, legumes, potatoes, and other starchy vegetables are great sources of complex carbohydrates.  Because they usually supply vitamins, minerals, and perhaps fiber, they're nutrient dense.

Enjoy the sweet flavor of fruit - and reap the nutritional benefits!  Fruit gets its sweet flavor from fructose.  At the same time, it supplies vitamin A or C, or both as well as fiber.

Check out some Sweet and Nutritious Fruit Snacks:

If you are concerned about sugar you might wonder how you can reduce the amount you use in baking.  Sugar gives food tenderness, volume and texture.  You can reduce the amount of sugar but not omit it from the recipe if you want these qualities.  Or use a sugar substitute such as Splenda.

Let's Review

Activity 5:

 5.  List one fruit snack you can substitute for candies and cookies.

For more information on sugar try the following site: The Sugar Association

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Revised: 06-13-2008