www.womanthismonth.com 95 April 2015 morning meal, replacing jams and pastries with complex sugar (what is called slow sugar) like starch – whole wheat bread, oatmeal, beans, brown rice, brown pasta etc — and complementing it with vegetables and proteins. SUGAR, CHOLESTEROL AND CANCER It’s well known that high sugar consumption leads to diabetes, which is a global epidemic today. But new data finds sugar is the culprit behind obesity, cholesterol and heart disease, too. “Excess consumption of sugar is linked to obesity and this association begins in childhood,” says Dr Sunil Rao, specialist in internal medicine at the Bahrain Specialist Hospital. It is thus wise to think twice before we hand our children sugar bombs several times a day. Refined sugar is just nutritionally empty calories. They do not contribute to your wellbeing, but leave behind a burgeoning waistline. “Observational data suggest that increased intake of sugar amplifies the risk of heart disease, independent of other risk factors. Also, dietary sugar is inversely related to the levels of good or high-density cholesterol (HDL). Reducing sugar intake will increase this ‘good’ cholesterol level. Reducing sugar intake will also reduce triglyceride levels in the blood,” says Dr Rao. There is a lot written on the link between sugar and cancer. Dr Rao maintains that: “Eating sugar itself does not cause any Excess consumption of sugar is linked to obesity and this association begins in childhood cancers. However, excess calories from sugar can lead to unhealthy weight gain and obesity. It is this obesity that is a risk factor for certain cancers, such as breast and colon.” BEING SUGAR SAVVY OK, so the verdict is that sugar is sweet venom. But how much is too much? Nada Jawahery, dietician at the Royal Bahrain Hospital, says: “A person must consume no more than 15 per cent of their calories from added sugar.” To elaborate, on an average consumption of 2,000 calories per day, 300 calories from added sugars is the limit. That translates to an allowance of around 20 teaspoons of sugar per day. If you think you’re well within this limit, think again. There are seemingly innocent foods that have sugars disguised within. “Fruit yogurts, granola bars and some wholegrain cereals have high amounts of sugar,” Nada explains. And beware, a 12-ounce can of Coke contains 9.3 teaspoons of sugar – nearly half of the maximum allowance. Reading the labels behind packaged edibles (like readymade sauces and dressings) might make you want to ditch their frequent use. Remember that sugar goes by many names – corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, etc. And that is probably why the American Heart Association restricts the sugar you manually add to your food to six teaspoons only. Have small meals frequently to prevent dips in blood sugar. It helps to be partial to the ‘good’ sugars such as lactose, fructose and glucose, which can be found in foods such as honey, milk, apples and watermelon. These sugars provide energy. “If you must, satisfy your sweet tooth with wholesome, homemade baked products, made with sweetening ingredients that have vitamins and minerals, such as molasses and honey, rather than artificially sweetened food,” concludes Nada. g
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