HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
A little sugar is okay but many of us are having way more than we need.
On average, Kiwi adults have 10½ to 14 teaspoons of sugar a day – double the recommended amount.
Most of this sugar comes from packaged everyday foods and drinks.
There are two types of sugar in food – intrinsic sugars and free sugars.
Intrinsic sugars are found naturally in whole fruit, vegetables, and milk.
Free sugars are:
Eating or drinking too many free sugars can lead to health problems such as:
Foods high in free sugars provide lots of calories (energy) but little nutritional value.
Some foods high in free sugars such as biscuits, cakes, and ice cream can also contain unhealthy fats such as butter, cream, coconut, and palm oil. Sugar in a liquid form is not as filling as sugar in food – which means if you drink a sugary drink you don't compensate by eating less food.
You don't need to cut down on sugar found in whole fruit, vegetables and milk. These foods contain lots of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals that are good for you.
Experts recommend you limit free sugars to:
This applies to sugars you add and those added in packaged foods, and sugar present in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit concentrates.
It does not apply to intrinsic sugars found naturally in whole fruit, vegetables, and milk.
Many drinks are high in sugar. The following can contain 5 to 7 teaspoons of sugar in a 250 ml glass:
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For more information, see the Health Promotion Agency's posters:
High sugar foods include many:
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Some savoury foods such as sauces, dressings, chutneys, and takeaway foods can also contain a lot of sugar.
Check the nutrition information panel:
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HealthInfo recommends the following pages
A helpful guide that explains the facts about artificial sweeteners and lists the common types of artificial sweeteners available in New Zealand.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Endorsed by Healthy Eating Healthy Ageing Project dietitian, Canterbury DHB. Last reviewed October 2018.
See also:
Review key: HIHEI-34305