Sugar is found in abundance in many foods, and I like for my clients to understand just how much sugar is in the food they are eating. A great tool to get a visual understanding of the sugar in food products, is to convert the grams of sugar into teaspoons.
4g of sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon
A 600ml chocolate Big M has a whopping 15 teaspoons of sugar! Yuck!
Although sugar is a quick source of energy, it doesn't have many other uses in the body. Sugar provides us with empty kilojoules. Too much sugar in the diet can lead to obesity, dental issues, problems with blood sugar regulation and interference with certain hormones.
The reason I thought this information might be handy this time of the year is due to the increased consumption of ice creams and icy poles. A Frosty Fruit icy pole contains 4.5 teaspoons of sugar, a huge amount for such a little treat. Being made with fruit, gives people the idea that it is a healthy option! A better alternative would be a Splice ice cream, with only 3 teaspoons of sugar due to the dairy component, and with 50 kilojoules less than the Frosty Fruit!
Be smart with your food choices!
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