In our modern and fast-paced lives, it can be difficult to keep a
healthy balance of nutrients in our food. Sugar is one of these
nutrients, and the cells in our body would die without it.
Consuming too much sugar, however, raises the risk of several problems, including poor dental health,
obesity and
type 2 diabetes.
To keep control of sugar levels, it helps to know just how much sugar
there is in the food we eat. Here, we have listed the sugar content of
numerous everyday foods, both processed and natural ones.
What is sugar?
Sugar is a simple
carbohydrate
that belongs to a class of chemically-related sweet-flavored
substances. It comes in many different forms. The three main types of
sugar are sucrose, lactose, and fructose.
Even though our cells need sugar (glucose) to survive, consuming too
much of it can cause numerous different health problems. Added sugar
contains no beneficial nutrients and in excess only contributes to tooth
decay,
diabetes, and obesity.
The American Heart Association (AHA) have said that
added sugars "contribute zero nutrients" and are just empty calories "that can lead to extra pounds, or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health."
Being aware of the existing and added sugar contents of the foods and
drinks we consume is vital for our health - even more so today because
so many products have sugar added to them.
In March 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) published new
guidelines recommending that adults and children alike reduce their
consumption of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy
intake, with further reduction to below 5% associated with additional
health benefits.
The term free sugars includes to glucose, fructose and sucrose added to
foods and drinks, as well as sugars naturally present in syrups, honey
and fruit juice. The term does not apply to sugars found naturally in
fresh fruit, vegetables or milk, as to date there is no evidence
associating the consumption of these sugars with adverse effects.
A single teaspoon of sugar is around 4 grams (g). The WHO state that
reducing daily sugar consumption to 5% of daily energy intake would be
around 6 teaspoons of sugar.
Sugar content in common foods and drinks
To help you keep track of how much sugar you're consuming we've
listed some common everyday foods and drinks, together with their sugar
content. Some of these may surprise you:
How much sugar is in a chocolate bar?
With high sugar content, chocolate should always be viewed as an occasional treat.
- Snickers bar (52.7g) - 6.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Milk chocolate bar (44g) - 5.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Milky Way bar (58g) - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- 3 Musketeers bar (60g) - 10 teaspoons of sugar
- Butterfinger bar (60g) - 7 teaspoons of sugar
- Dove chocolate bar (40.8g) - 5.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar (43g) - 6 teaspoons of sugar
- Twix bar (50.7g) - 6 teaspoons of sugar
In our modern and fast-paced lives, it can be difficult to keep a
healthy balance of nutrients in our food. Sugar is one of these
nutrients, and the cells in our body would die without it.
Consuming too much sugar, however, raises the risk of several problems, including poor dental health,
obesity and
type 2 diabetes.
To keep control of sugar levels, it helps to know just how much sugar
there is in the food we eat. Here, we have listed the sugar content of
numerous everyday foods, both processed and natural ones.
What is sugar?
Sugar is a simple
carbohydrate
that belongs to a class of chemically-related sweet-flavored
substances. It comes in many different forms. The three main types of
sugar are sucrose, lactose, and fructose.
Even though our cells need sugar (glucose) to survive, consuming too
much of it can cause numerous different health problems. Added sugar
contains no beneficial nutrients and in excess only contributes to tooth
decay,
diabetes, and obesity.
The American Heart Association (AHA) have said that
added sugars "contribute zero nutrients" and are just empty calories "that can lead to extra pounds, or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health."
Being aware of the existing and added sugar contents of the foods and
drinks we consume is vital for our health - even more so today because
so many products have sugar added to them.
In March 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) published new
guidelines recommending that adults and children alike reduce their
consumption of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy
intake, with further reduction to below 5% associated with additional
health benefits.
The term free sugars includes to glucose, fructose and sucrose added to
foods and drinks, as well as sugars naturally present in syrups, honey
and fruit juice. The term does not apply to sugars found naturally in
fresh fruit, vegetables or milk, as to date there is no evidence
associating the consumption of these sugars with adverse effects.
A single teaspoon of sugar is around 4 grams (g). The WHO state that
reducing daily sugar consumption to 5% of daily energy intake would be
around 6 teaspoons of sugar.
Sugar content in common foods and drinks
To help you keep track of how much sugar you're consuming we've
listed some common everyday foods and drinks, together with their sugar
content. Some of these may surprise you.
How much sugar do soft drinks contain?
Soft drinks often contain a high amount of sugar.
- Coca cola (one can) - 8.25 teaspoons of sugar
- Pepsi cola (one can) - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Red Bull (one can) - 6.9 teaspoons of sugar
- Sprite (one can) - 8.25 teaspoons of sugar
- Mountain Dew (one can) - 11.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Old Jamaica Ginger Beer (one can) - 13 teaspoons of sugar.
A study published in
Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association,
identified
a link between drinking more than one soft drink a day and increased risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
How much sugar is in your breakfast cereal?
*
(per 100 grams)
Froot Loops are said to contain 105 times more sugar than Shredded Wheat.
- Alpen - 5.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Cheerios - 1 teaspoon of sugar
- Corn Flakes - 2.4 teaspoons of sugar
- Cocoa Krispies - 9.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Froot Loops - 10.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Raisin Bran - 7.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Frosted Flakes - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Honey Smacks - 14 teaspoons of sugar
- Rice Krispies - 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Special K - 3 teaspoons of sugar
- Wheaties - 3.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Trix - 8 teaspoons of sugar
- Lucky Charms - 9 teaspoons of sugar
- Rice Chex - 2 teaspoons of sugar
- Wheat Chex - 2.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Corn Chex - 2.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Honey Nut Cheerios - 8.25 teaspoons of sugar
- Reese's Puffs - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Golden Grahams - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Cocoa Puffs - 9.25 teaspoons of sugar
- Cookie Crisp - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Shredded Wheat - 0.1 teaspoons of sugar
- Cocoa Pebbles - 9 teaspoons of sugar
- Banana Nut Crunch - 4.5 teaspoons of sugar.
:
How much sugar is in a chocolate bar?
With high sugar content, chocolate should always be viewed as an occasional treat.
- Snickers bar (52.7g) - 6.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Milk chocolate bar (44g) - 5.75 teaspoons of sugar
- Milky Way bar (58g) - 8.75 teaspoons of sugar
- 3 Musketeers bar (60g) - 10 teaspoons of sugar
- Butterfinger bar (60g) - 7 teaspoons of sugar
- Dove chocolate bar (40.8g) - 5.5 teaspoons of sugar
- Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar (43g) - 6 teaspoons of sugar
- Twix bar (50.7g) - 6 teaspoons of sugar
- Milk chocolate M&M's packet (47.9 g) - 7.5 teaspoons of sugar.
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