How much sugar can you consume per day?

According to the World Health Organization, it is recommended to consume 25 grams of sugar per day. But, in general, our diet contains a huge amount of sugar, because it is a recurring staple of the food industry. And sugar is found in products that you wouldn’t even suspect!

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What is 25 grams of sugar?

It is true that the daily amount of sugar recommended by the WHO is very low. To get an idea, this corresponds to a heaping tablespoon of sugar per day. Or even four small teaspoons. And that’s all !

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Tip #1: Choose fruit over juice

The sugar found in fruit is not bad. These are the added sugars to be wary of. But if you press fruits to extract the juice, then their sugar is metabolized into free sugars. And we then consume a greater quantity of sugar because, in general, a juice contains several fruits. It is therefore healthier to eat the fruits as they are.

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Tip #2: The importance of breakfast

Depending on the country, breakfast is a great feast for gourmets: pastries, jams, chocolate… Be careful: sweeten your coffee or tea in moderation, eat plain yoghurts and choose healthy salty foods (vegetables, eggs , etc). And remember: a sugar cube contains between 5 and 7 grams of sugar.

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Tip #3: Watch out for sauces!

The ideal is to make your own sauce. Indeed, it is very common for brands, such as ketchup for example, to introduce a large amount of sugar to enhance their flavor because, in this case, the tomato can be a little acidic.

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Tip #4: Avoid frozen pizzas

There are a lot of pre-cooked foods that contain a lot of sugar. Even when it comes to salty foods. This is the case of frozen pizzas which contain a lot of sugar. Obviously, the food industry is adapting to modern times and trying to reduce the amount of sugar. So read the labels carefully before deciding. However (once once more), the ideal is to make your own pizza without added sugar.

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Tip 5: Do not replace milk with any drink

If you replace milk with soy drinks, almonds, rice or others, do not imagine that they do not contain sugar. Indeed, almond milk can contain up to 20 grams of added sugar per glass.

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Tip #6: Red Alert on Energy Drinks

If the classic drinks already suppose serious problems concerning sugar (although they try to reinvent themselves to be healthier), energy drinks are clearly alarming when it comes to their amount of sugar. The addition of caffeine and large doses of sugar is the perfect stimulant for our brain. An average energy drink can contain up to 52 grams of sugar.

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Tip #7: Pay attention to the salad dressing!

Balsamic vinegar is high in sugar. Not too much, but you still have to be aware of it.

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Tip nº8: Take a good look at the composition of crackers

Although they are salty, some of these cookies contain quite a bit of sugar. Well yes: appearances are deceptive!

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Tip #9: Don’t replace sugar with sweeteners or other sweeter foods

Honey is very healthy (and delicious) but 85% percent of its composition is sugar. The same is true with syrups and other sweeteners.

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Tip #10: Read labels carefully

Take the time to read food labels before buying them. And pay attention to the synonyms of sugar used by certain brands: if you see a large amount of fructose, sacarose, lactose, glucose or starch, run away!

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Tip #11: Avoid candy candies

Yes, they are tempting, but they contain so much sugar that they should only be consumed very occasionally.

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Tip #12: Watch out for ice cream!

It is sometimes difficult to resist the gourmet pleasure of an ice cream. However, a basic ice cream contains at least 21 grams of sugar, so we let you do the math (it is recommended to consume 25 grams maximum per day). However, an ice cream once in a while won’t kill you.

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Tip #13: Choose Your Yogurts Carefully

0% yogurts are generally higher in sugar, in order to retain their texture and flavor: the fat is therefore replaced by sugar. Prefer natural yogurts.

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Tip #15: The darkest chocolate possible is the best

Consuming chocolate in high amounts can cause problems: a bar of 70% dark chocolate can contain 5 grams of sugar. This is acceptable if you haven’t overindulged in sugary foods throughout the day.

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Tip #14: Teriyaki is synonymous with sugar

Teriyaki sauce has a very high sugar content. It is delicious, but to be consumed in moderation.

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Tip #15: Replace desserts with fruit

Fruits are the best desserts. It is better to save the desserts for special occasions.

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Tip 16: Eat traditional bread

In Europe, no sugar is used in the production of traditional bread. But the industrial production of this food and the obstinacy to give a special flavor or a certain texture to the crumb, has meant that there are breads (especially sandwich bread) that contain significant amounts of sugar. The best is therefore to buy your bread in a traditional bakery where they make their own bread.

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Sugar yes, but in the right amount!

So you need to eat less sugar. It is essential for your health! However, the little pleasures in life are very important too and (sometimes) you can make a few deviations.

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