CosBeauty Magazine #85

What
is sugar?
At a molecular level, sugar is a
crystalline carbohydrate. There are
many different types of sugar –
glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose
and sucrose (sucrose is your typical
table sugar, and is composed of
glucose and fructose).
Some of these sugars occur
naturally in fruits, vegetables and
other food groups. However, it’s
the added sugars, used to enhance
flavour and add sweetness, that
have been blamed as a culprit in
a myriad of health issues. These
sugars are usually delivered in the
form of sucrose or fructose corn
syrup, and it is fructose, more than
glucose, that is receiving the most
negative attention.
The highest quantities of added
sugars are found in soft drinks,
fruit juices, cakes, chocolate and
desserts. According to Medical
News Today, just a single can
of cola can contain up to seven
teaspoons of added sugar, while
an average-sized chocolate bar can
contain up to six teaspoons.
At present, the World
Health Organisation’s (WHO)
recommended daily dose of sugar
is less than 10 percent of your
daily total energy intake. WHO
suggests a further reduction to
less than five percent for beneficial
health outcomes.
Many nutritionists recommend
against consuming more than 13
teaspoons a day.
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