Is sugar the enemy?

As per my previous post on nutrition misinformation, I've heard a lot of talk on sugar lately and it being called an "invisible fat", a "sweet poison" and every other name under the sun.

But is sugar that bad?

What you need to know is that sugar is very complex and there are many different forms of sugar. If you think of sugar as being a car for example. There are many different types of cars which run in different ways, at different speeds, and have different engines.

Sugar can come as a less refined product, or can also be highly processed. What we do know is that some sugars have been linked with obesity, while others have not.

Not all sugar is bad for you

I recently heard a newly famous celebrity talking on radio recommending a zero sugar diet and saying that fruit should not be eaten every day. This is not true. Fruit is good for you and should be included in your daily diet. As per the Go For 2 & 5 campaign, you should aim to eat 2 medium pieces of fruit a day.

Fruit contains a natural sugar called fructose, but this is not linked with obesity. Another similarly named substance called high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is the baddie, not fructose itself. HFCS is commonly found in many processed foods in the US and is not a major problem in Australia. It is a highly refined product and is very different to the frutose in fruit. I guess you could say it would be like comparing batman to the joker.

Yoghurt is also a healthy choice. Most of the sugar in yoghurt is the naturally occurring sugar found in milk and fruit. There is some added sugar in some yoghurts, and there are better choices than others. Choosing a yoghurt that has a lower total kilojoule content is a good start.

I've also heard celebrities recommending full fat products over low fat products. The body gets its healthy fats from unsaturated oils, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish like salmon and tuna. Low fat dairy products are recommended over full fat dairy products as they are lower in saturated fats which have been linked with heart disease. Low fat dairy products are also the best choice for most children over the age of 2. The good news is that low fat dairy contains just as much calcium, protein and other essential nutrients that children and adults need every day.

The sugar to look out for

It upsets me that there are people out there bashing fruit, yoghurt and bread because of their so-called sugar content. These are all nutritious foods and you can be rest assured that you are making a healthy choice by consuming these. Bread contains carbohydrates which fuel the body with energy each day. The best choices of bread are wholegrain or multigrain, the ones with the most seeds!

What you do need to look out for are the added sugars that are generally found in more processed foods.

Foods like cakes, biscuits, muffins, pastries, pies, lollies, chocolate, desserts, soft drinks, etc. I don't need to remind you that these foods are not for daily consumption (not just because of the added sugar). These foods are best kept for special occasions, or once ever 2 weeks. Eating too many of these foods will contribute to weight gain and increase your risk of heart disease and diabetes.

I would also recommend trying to cut down on any sugar you add to your tea and coffee.

These are just empty calories and if you drink a lot of tea or coffee, each teaspoon or two will quickly add up over a year. It's really not that hard to gradually reduce the amount of sugar you add over time. Just do it very very slowly (add a little less each time) so you can't taste the difference and before you know it you'll be smiling and saying "no I'm sweet enough", when that good looking barista asks you if you take any sugar.