MIND & BODY WITH LEANNE HALL

SUGAR: SWEET OR SOUR It’s the hot diet topic right now but believe it or not our cavemen ancestors were not watching their calories when it came to sugar – they just had to work harder to find it! Unfortunately these days finding it isn't a problem, but the amount we consume is. Leanne meets with the author of 'I Quit Sugar', Sarah Wilson to find out where sugar is hidden, the difference between good and bad sugars and she considers the idea of giving up the sweet stuff altogether.

   

     

 

WHAT IS SUGAR? Almost everyone is aware that sugar is bad for you but what actually is sugar? When the word is thrown around as much as it is today, do we really even know what we’re talking about?

Sugar isn’t always bad for you. In fact, in moderation it is crucial fuel for our active bodies. Where we can really go wrong is with hidden or added sugar. But how do we know what’s hidden where? What should we look for?

It’s important to clarify what sugar is before beginning to analyze it. Not all sugars are bad for you. They can be broadly broken down into 2 main categories:

o Naturally occurring sugars: found in milk, fruit, vegetables and legumes. Consume these in smaller quantities along with many other important nutrients as part of a balanced diet*

o Hidden or added sugars: these are most often refined from plants such as sugar cane. They are added to food and drink in large amounts such as cakes, biscuits and soft drinks. These can increase the energy or calories of a food or drink, but are often classified as ‘nutrient poor’*

o A diet that consists of high levels of sugar can have catastrophic effects on your health. This can include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and even depression.**

Source: * Dieticians Association of Australia ** Better Health Channel Victoria

HOW TO FIND HIDDEN SUGAR IN YOUR DIET When reading a food label, always read the ‘per 100g’ column and check to see if the sugar content is 15 grams or under. If it is above, then it’s not considered a healthy serving size of sugar. If the food item does not contain fruit (and fruit’s naturally occurring sugar) then it’s best to stick to 10 grams or less per 100 grams.* Food manufacturers will list the sugar according to its source, so it appears on the food label as things like fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (white refined table sugar), dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, sorbitol, fruit juice concentrate, xylitol, mannitol, galactose, lactose and polydextrose. In particular, keep an eye out for the main culprits in

   

     

 

Australian made food, which are glucose, sucrose, lactose and fructose. As a very general rule if it’s ‘ose’ it’s sugar.*

Common foods that contain hidden sugar include:

• Soft drinks • White bread • Pre-packaged pasta sauce • Baked beans • Fruit juice • Low-fat yoghurt • Cereal – particularly kids cereals • Pre-packaged bread • Tomato or BBQ sauce • Salad dressing Did you know this sugar was lurking in your juice?

*Source: National Health Service UK

SARAH’S TIPS ON SUGAR To help you through the minefield of hidden sugar in your diet, Sarah has suggested 5 items to have on your sugar free shopping list:

• Coconut oil – great for curries and stir fries • Sweet potato – test it out in desserts • Cinnamon – great to sprinkle on top of yoghurt • Avocado – add to meals for extra nutrients • Eggs – perfect to replace cereal for breakfast

   

     

 

Also bear in mind these other great tips Sarah has for you to meet your sugar free goals: • Remember that even fresh fruit has fructose – it does contribute to your daily intake

even though it has vital vitamins and fibre for you body. Don’t avoid it, but be aware of how much you consume, particularly in the form of juice.

• How your day starts is how it continues – be faithful to your plan and get off on the right dietary foot.

• Quitting sugar doesn’t have to be expensive – cook in bulk and buy secondary cuts of meat.

ABOUT SARAH WILSON Sarah Wilson is a best-selling author, blogger and wellness coach whose journalism career has spanned 20 years, across television, radio, magazines, newspapers and online. She’s the former editor of Cosmopolitan magazine and was the host of the first series of MasterChef Australia. She appears regularly as a commentator on a range of programs including Ten Network’s Good News Week and The Project. Sarah is the author of the Australian and UK bestsellers I Quit Sugar and I Quit Sugar For Life. I Quit Sugar was released in the USA and Canada April 2014 and is a New York Times best seller. Sarah has also authored the best-selling series of ebooks from IQuitSugar.com. Her 8-Week Program has seen more than 300,000 people quit sugar. If you’d like to read more about Sarah and her work visit www.iquitsugar.com.

   

     

 

ABOUT VIRGIN ACTIVE HEALTH CLUB Leanne hit the Virgin Active Health Club in Sydney’s CBD to see if health conscious people really knew where the sugar was hiding in their every day diets. About Virgin Active Health Clubs Virgin Active help their members to live happily ever active. For Virgin Active, living actively isn’t just about building muscles or breaking records. It’s about whatever makes you happy. It’s energy. It’s vitality. It’s that indefinable – but utterly incredible – feeling you get from being a member of Virgin Active. So much more than just a gym Virgin Active health clubs are quite simply world class. They include swimming pools, spas and saunas, with large spacious workout areas and heaps of the very latest equipment. They offer hundreds of group exercise classes every week and are always first with the hottest, most innovative classes. You'll notice the clubs have a fun, non-intimidating atmosphere, with smiley staff there to support and motivate you. Because they believe if you enjoy coming to their clubs, you’ll keep working out with them to achieve your goals. Virgin Active also offer all members a free personalised one-on-one session with a trainer when they start, plus the option of free catch-up sessions every 6-8 weeks to keep you on track all along your fitness journey. Take a look at Virgin Active, they’d love to show you around.  

WEBLINKS For further information on sugar take a look at any of the following websites: www.sarahwilson.com http://www.virginactive.com.au/home/our_clubs/pitt_street_mall/club_home.aspx