4 things you can do to change your sugar habit

Sugar occurs naturally in starchy vegetables, fruits (fructose), milk (lactose), grains, beans, seeds, and legumes.

Apart from its natural form, sugar is also added into foods and drinks products during processing and manufacturing such as bread, noodles, pasta, canned food, snacks, and among others.

Examples of added sugar include table sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, and syrup.

On food labels, these additional or hidden sugars are listed as sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, mannitol, maltose, among others.

Most people are unaware that these are added sugars when they read them on food labels.

How does sugar intake affect our health?

There are evidences that excessive sugar consumption leads to several chronic health complications. In this case, the ‘culprit’ is the added (hidden) sugar; not naturally occurring sugars in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming naturally occurring sugars in fresh produces.

Therefore, it is crucial to take note of the amount of added (hidden) sugar consumed daily.

• Prolonged intake of added sugars contributes to extra calories:
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar provides 20 calories
  • 7 teaspoons of sugar provide 140 calories, which will be converted to 20 g of body fat if unused
  • This sugar intake pattern will result in 600 g of body fat per month and 7.2 kg body per year! Over time, this condition leads to weight gain and obesity, especially when there are more risk factors in place such as a high fat diet and sedentary lifestyle
• Overweight and obesity leads to chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high glucose levels), heart disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Excessive sugar intake has also been associated with dental caries.

What is the recommended daily sugar intake?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Malaysian Dietary Guidelines, the recommended amount of total daily sugar intake (inclusive of hidden sugar) for average Malaysia adults should be limited to not more than 10% of our daily energy consumption or should not exceed 10 teaspoons in a day (50g).

For added health benefits, WHO even recommends reducing sugar intake to less than 5% of total calories per day which is equivalent to 6 teaspoons of sugar in a day.

4 ways to reduce your daily sugar intake

If you are looking for ways to cut down added sugar in your diet and change your sugar habits, here are 4 things you can do to keep ‘sweetness’ at bay while you enjoy your favourite snacks.

1. Choose food options with lower sugar content or sugar-free
   1. Opt for whole foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, unsweetened plain yoghurts, unsalted nuts, and seeds
   2. Switch to breakfast cereals with lower-sugar content or no added sugar
   3. Avoid processed and sugary foods such as cakes, doughnuts, cookies, ice cream, candies, etc.
   4. Opt for desserts that are low in sugar
   5. Limit consumption of high-sugar local delicacies such as kuih-muih, ais kacang, and cendol
   6. Beware of dried and canned fruits because they often have loads of added sugar
2. Make swaps to healthier options

   Here are some examples:

   1. Swap raisins with grapes

      Two tablespoons of raisins contain about 21.9 g of sugar, while a similar amount of fresh grapes contains just 4.5 g of sugar. So, the next time you pick up a box of raisins, you might want to look at the fruits section instead.

   2. Swap chili sauce with chili flakes

      Chili sauce is a favourite Malaysian condiment and is readily available everywhere. However, it is manufactured with added sugar to cater to our taste buds.

      A tablespoon of this chili sauce contains 4.7 g of sugar while dried chili flakes contain just 2 g of sugar per tablespoon.

      Dried red chilli flakes are packed with antioxidants that help fight oxidative stress in the body and promote overall good health. Chilli flakes are also excellent appetite suppressants, so add them to your food if you are on a diet or trying to eat less.

   3. Swap orange juice with tomato juice

      Did you know that half a cup of fresh orange juice (with no added sugar) contains 13.5 g of sugar while half a cup of fresh tomato juice contains just 3.3 g of sugar?

   4. Swap flavoured milk with plain milk

      1 glass (200 ml) of plain milk contains 9.4 g of sugar. In comparison, 1 glass (200 ml) of flavoured milk (chocolate, strawberry, banana, etc). contains a whopping 18.2 g of sugar!

3. Choose beverages with lower sugar content
   1. Prioritise plain water instead of sugary drinks
   2. Try plain water flavoured with citrus slices, cucumber, fresh mint, etc.
   3. Request for less sweet version when you are ordering sweetened beverages, especially those made with condensed milk, sweetened creamer, and syrup
   4. Avoid consumption of sweetened beverages especially carbonated drinks, sports drinks, cordials
   5. Limit choosing fruit juices over fresh fruits because fruit juices have more sugars and less fibre

   Beware:

   • Carbonated drinks contain between 6 to 7 teaspoons of sugar per serving
   • A glass of teh tarik contains up to 3 tablespoons of condensed milk which is equivalent to 3 tablespoons of sugar!
4. Create new habits
   1. Always check the ingredient list and sugar content on food and drink packaging. If sugar (or any form of hidden sugar) is listed as the first or at the top of the ingredient list, that product has a very high sugar content
   2. Limit sugary food and drink intake during main meals
   3. Avoid consuming sugar-rich food and drink as snacks or near bedtime
   4. Reduce sugar amount used in recipes when you are baking or cooking
   5. Avoid relying on artificial sweeteners
   6. Make small changes along the way until your taste buds are adjusted over time.

Make an appointment at Pantai Hospitals

If you have questions about how to reduce sugar intake and have adequate nutrition in your daily diet, contact the team of dietitians at your nearest Pantai Hospital to receive professional dietary advice to help kickstart your health journey.

To make an appointment for health screening, please contact the health screening centre at the Pantai Hospital nearest to you.

Pantai Hospitals have been accredited by the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) for its commitment to patient safety and service quality.

References

1. Facts about sugar. Available at http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/facts-about-sugar/ [Accessed on 4 August 2022]
2. Consume foods and beverages low in sugar. Available at https://www.moh.gov.my/moh/images/gallery/Garispanduan/diet/km10.pdf [Accessed on 4 August 2022]
3. WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children. Available at https://www.who.int/news/item/04-03-2015-who-calls-on-countries-to-reduce-sugars-intake-among-adults-and-children#:~:text=A%20new%20WHO%20guideline%20recommends,would%20provide%20additional%20health%20benefits [Accessed on 4 August 2022]