Hidden sugars can make controlling your intake tricky
There is clear evidence that excessive sugar intake results in various health issues, from obesity, heart disease and diabetes to tooth cavities. According to a study by Wits University, South Africans consume significantly more sugar than recommended, with an estimated 12-24 teaspoons daily, of which 4-8 teaspoons come from sugar-sweetened beverages. This exceeds the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended daily limit of six teaspoons.
Natural sugars come in the form of lactose, fructose and sucrose and can be found in fruit, vegetables, dairy and grains. Hidden sugars are sugars that are added to foods or drinks during processing, which aren’t immediately obvious from the taste: cane sugar, corn syrup, agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses, honey and fruit juice concentrates.
A person’s daily sugar intake can quickly escalate when considering the hidden sugar found in many popular snacks and drinks. The daily recommended sugar limit for children is 3-6 teaspoons (12-25g), six teaspoons (25g) for women and nine teaspoons (38g) for men.
Due diligence
Check food labels for ‘total sugars’ and ‘added sugars’. Total sugars include natural and added sugars, while added sugars are the sugars added during processing. The daily value (DV) is the daily recommended intake of added sugars. When analysing different foods and beverages, aim for 5% DV of added sugars or less when reading labels.
Convert grams to teaspoons: one teaspoon of sugar is roughly 4-5g. This often makes it easier to visualise how much sugar you’re really consuming.
In most popular soft drinks (39g per 330ml can), all the sugar is added, not naturally occurring in the product, and sugary drinks can contribute significantly to a person’s daily sugar intake. Remember that even 100% natural fruit juice (24g per 250ml glass) contains fructose. While this is a naturally occurring sugar, it still forms part of a person’s daily sugar contribution. Marketed as beneficial for active individuals, it’s important to note that there’s still a significant amount of sugar in sports drinks (20g per 330ml bottle) to enhance the flavour.
While yoghurt has beneficial calcium and probiotics, it’s worth noting the type of yoghurt, as many yoghurts (in particular the flavoured ones – 17g per 150g) have added sugar for taste. They’re often marketed as a healthy snack, but many granola or cereal bars (12g per 40g bar) contain added sugar for flavour. Store-bought smoothies (35g per 450ml bottle) are another snack that is marketed as healthy, but they can also contain high amounts of both naturally occurring and added sugar.
Fruit roll-ups (13g per 20g piece) contain a lot of added sugar to preserve the flavour. Even tomato sauce (4g per 17g tablespoon) needs care when consuming.
Text | Mbali Mapholi
Photography | Ground Picture
Mbali Mapholi is a Laager Rooibos partner dietitian.
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