If there’s a new bad guy in town, it’s sugar: while it goes a long way in small amounts, too much of it has been shown to cause health problems.
Research shows that a chronically high-sugar diet can lead to obesity and spikes in blood sugar levels, and it may also increase your risk of heart attack and stroke due to sugar’s negative effects on blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease, according to the American Heart Association.
It’s important to distinguish between added sugars and natural sugars on food labels. Natural sugars are found in milk (lactose) and fruit (fructose). Natural sugars are absorbed into the blood more slowly, preventing blood sugar spikes, because your body has to break down the fiber first. So a medium banana has 14 grams of natural sugars, but also 4 grams of fiber (and other nutrients like potassium, protein, vitamin A, iron, and phosphorus).
Added sugars include any sugary or calorie-rich sweetener that is added to foods and beverages (such as cereal, soda, ketchup, sports drinks, candy, and yogurt) during processing or preparation. Confusingly, added sugars can be manufactured, like high fructose corn syrup, or they can come from natural sources, like honey, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, sugar beets, concentrated fruit sugars, and cane sugar. In essence, they are used as added sugars even though they come from natural sources.
How much added sugar is safe? The American Heart Association’s new dietary guidelines recommend no added sugars for children under 2 years old. For children over 2 years old and women, the recommended limit is a maximum of 6 teaspoons (25 grams) or less than 100 calories from sugar per day. For men, the recommended limit is 9 teaspoons (36 grams) or less than 150 calories from sugar per day. Most American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day (more than 60 pounds per year).
How do you know how much sugar is in a food? Look at the label. New labeling laws require added sugars to be printed on the label. The label will list total sugars, which includes sugars that occur naturally in the food as well as added sugars. The line below “total sugars” will list the amount of added sugars in the product and the percentage of added sugars based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
I think a good way to cut down on added sugars (cakes, cookies, pies, jams, etc.) is to eat fruit instead, especially frozen fruit. Chop up a handful of grapes or pineapple and freeze. Choose fruit spreads over jams. Use only half the sugar called for in the recipe for baked goods (you probably won’t even notice the difference). You can also try some of the newer artificial sweeteners like Monk Fruit, Sora, Stevia, Swerve, Truvia, and Allulose.
As with salt, you can train your palate to crave sugar less over time.
Question-and-answer session
Q: With the new school year fast approaching, how can you encourage your kids to bring healthy lunches to school?
A: Make meal planning a game and get your kids excited about choosing their lunch options. Have your kids pick fruits and vegetables by color and focus on a different color each week, or challenge them to find a fruit or vegetable they’ve never tried before at the store. Have your kids pick a protein, fruit, vegetable, and whole grain to eat with a carton of milk each day. Sandwiches are good, but mixing and matching makes lunches more interesting. Let them choose from string cheese, yogurt packets, apple slices with peanut butter, almonds, grapes, baby carrots, sliced bell peppers, hummus, and more. The possibilities are endless. Keeping lunches cold with an insulated lunch bag with ice packs is key. Pack as many as you can the night before to eliminate the stress of busy school mornings.
recipe
I’m always on the lookout for easy weeknight recipes, so here’s this recipe for coconut chicken curry (no added sugar) adapted from Hy-Vee Seasons magazine.
coconut chicken curry
Number of participants: 6
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup sliced green onions
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 large bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 teaspoons refrigerated lemongrass paste
1 can (13.5 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
1/3 cup red curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Cooked cauliflower rice or brown rice
Fresh coriander sprigs (for garnish)
Lime slices (for serving)
Heat oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven and add scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add bell peppers and lemongrass paste. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add coconut milk, broth, curry paste, and fish sauce and stir. Add chicken and simmer over low heat. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F. Remove chicken and transfer to a cutting board. Use 2 forks to shred chicken and set aside. In a small bowl, stir lime juice and cornstarch into curry mix. Return chicken to curry mix. Cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Serve over cauliflower rice or brown rice. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges, if desired. Serves 6.
Per serving (using cauliflower rice): 260 calories, 25 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 105 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 4 g sugar (0 g added sugars), 920 mg sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Society of Nutrition and Dietetics. Please contact her with any comments or questions: [email protected] Or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD To learn more about Charlyn Fargo or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
Photo credit: Mathilde Langevin on Unsplash
