VIDEO
How much sugar in soda? Too many sugary drinks?
Sugar
I have rather a sweet tooth. Is sugar really that bad for you?
Yes. Sugar is just calories without any good bits added (like vitamins, protein, fibre) and you get the calories that you need with the good bits by eating healthily. We really don’t need sugar on its own as this can cause tooth decay. Sugary foods also tend to be high in calories, so eating too much can make you put on weight.
Chemical names for sugar are glucose, sucrose, fructose, dextrose and maltose. None is any better than another nor is brown or cane sugar any better than white.
I’ve read that poor dental health can cause coronary heart disease – is this true?
Poor dental health is not good for you whichever way you look at the problem. It causes bad breath and can lead to infections. There is a link between poor dental health and coronary heart disease but this may reflect other factors such as poor nutrition, cigarette smoking and generally poor conditions in a person’s lifestyle. A recent publication has suggested that even allowing for these other factors, poor dental health can harm the heart. The message is clear – look after your teeth and gums!
Have you any tips for cutting down on sugar?
Cutting down on sugar is the easiest way to begin losing weight whereas cutting down on your fat intake is the most effective.
• Begin by cutting out sugar in tea and coffee. It may be tough at first but after four or five days you will wonder why you ever added sugar. Try to do without artificial sweeteners if you can, or use them only sparingly; some contain sodium (salt) which can upset your blood pressure control or treatment of heart failure.
• Drink low-calorie drinks, e.g. Diet Coke or caffeine-free diet coke, Diet 7-Up, diet tonic. Remember plain water is the most refreshing calorie-free drink there is.
• Choose tinned fruit in natural juice rather than syrup.
• Beware of sugar-coated breakfast cereals. A good breakfast could consist of low-fat, low-calorie yoghurt poured on unsweetened muesli, bran-type cereals with some fresh fruit, or porridge made with skimmed or semi-skimmed milk.
• Chocolate, cakes, biscuits and puddings can be replaced by fresh fruit, e.g. apples, bananas and pears, or low-fat yoghurts, fromage frais, low-fat mousses and frozen desserts.
