Volume 11, Issue 7

October 2019

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This month, I'd like to return to the topic of added sugars in our diets. Halloween is quickly approaching once again and is closely followed by the holiday season, where there are always more than enough opportunities to consume more sugars than usual. Read on below...

These newsletters will help you make better choices for better health. The choices that you make today can either have a positive or negative impact on your overall health. Begin by choosing better as it is a step towards longevity.

Ramila Padiachy DNM

Doctor of Natural Medicine

Added Sugars in Our Diets

The goal is not to cut out all added sugars. Some added sugars are not necessarily bad for you. But added sugars can contribute to several health problems when the amount of added sugars consumed is excessive.

Has there been any recent change in sugar consumption in Canada?

The 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) estimated that Canadians consumed a daily average of 110 grams (26 teaspoons) of total sugars, approximately 20% of their total energy intake. While over 30% of total sugars came from the vegetables and fruit of Canada's Food Guide, 35% came from the "other" food category, which includes foods to limit, such as soft drinks and candy.

The more recent 2015 CCHS found that the average daily total sugars' consumption was 101 grams for children aged 1 to 8, 115 grams (27 teaspoons) for children aged 9 to 18, and 85 grams (20 teaspoons) for adults. Sugary beverages were the top source of sugars for all age groups.

Overall, total sugars from all sources decreased slightly from 2004 to 2015. Sugars from food alone increased from 2004 to 2015, whereas total sugars from beverages alone decreased for all age groups.

WHO recommendations for consumption of added sugars

While any decrease in sugar consumption in Canada is good, the results of the two Canadian Community Health Surveys show that the decrease leaves us far from the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations.

The WHO strongly recommends that adults and children reduce their daily intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake (about 50 grams or 12 teaspoons). A further reduction to below 5%, or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons), is recommended for additional health benefits.

This does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables or sugars naturally present in milk because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects from these sugars.

Note that you need to read the nutrition labels. There are sugars in foods where you might not suspect them. For example, 1 tablespoon of ketchup contains about 4 grams (1 teaspoon) of added sugars.

You might underestimate the amount of sugar in a single can of sugar-sweetened soft drink, which can be as much as 40 grams (10 teaspoons). That's 85% of your daily allowance if you aim to limit added sugars to 10% of your daily calories.

Some effects of excess sugar

Excess sugar depresses the immune system. Please see our newsletter of October 2016 for more detail.
Excess sugar is a major cause of inflammation in the body. Please see our newsletter of April 2014. Inflammation, in turn, can cause many major diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, arthritis and dementia.
Sugar contributes to obesity.
Sugar contributes to type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin sensitivity.
Sugar promotes cancer cell growth.
Sugar increases blood pressure levels.
Sugar is a cause of cataracts and near-sightedness.
Sugar causes cavities.
Sugar consumption can result in increased behavioural problems in people with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
Sugar increases depressive symptoms.
Sugar reduces learning capacity and can cause learning disorders.
Sugar decreases emotional stability.
Sugar causes premature aging.
Excess sugar is addictive.

Strategies for limiting added sugars

Avoid processed foods. They virtually all contain HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), the worst type of sugar.
Read nutrition labels carefully. Be aware of the terms used that indicate sugars: glucose, fructose, dextrose, maltose, sucrose, date sugar, maltitol, maltitol syrup, maltodextrin, mannitol, agave, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, barley malt syrup, evaporated cane juice, blackstrap molasses, maple syrup, and, of course, any term that includes 'sugar'. These added sugars provide no nutritional benefits.
Eat whole, fresh (or frozen) foods.
Cook at home more often. That way, you can control the amount of sugar in what you eat.
Don't drink your calories. Water is the ideal drink.
Avoid soft drinks of all types. A recently published study has determined that after adjusting for major diet and lifestyle factors, the more sugar-sweetened beverages a person drank, the greater their risk of early death from any cause. The association was especially strong for cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio comparing extreme categories was 1.31 [95% confidence interval, 1.15, 1.50] P trend <0.0001). An elevated risk of mortality was also seen for cancer mortality. Artificial sweeteners typically contained in soft drinks are also bad for your health.
The only healthy artificial sweeteners are stevia and xylitol.
Eat lots of organic fresh vegetables and whole grains.
Eat lower-sugar cereals. Choose cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar and more than 4 grams of fibre per serving.
Keep eating moderate amounts of fresh or frozen fruit (with no added sugar).
Avoid juice, minimize it even if it's unsweetened - it lacks fibre, so you're better off with the whole fruit.

I hope these tips help you stay healthy, or even get healthier, as the holiday season approaches.

Supplements

There are a number of supplements that would help you to maximize your health. You can find information about these products and purchase them in our online store:

Adrenal Support
Berberine IR
Cholester Reg II
Magnesium
Vitamin D3
Super Omega 3
Super Vitamins & Minerals

References

Langlois K, Garriguet D, Gonzalez A, Sinclair S, Colapinto CK. Change in total sugars consumption among Canadian children and adults. Health Reports 2019;30(1):10-19.
WHO calls on countries to reduce sugars intake among adults and children. Press release, March 4, 2015. Accessed September 9, 2019.
How can you boost your immune system? October 2016 https://www.ramilas.com/news?month=10-2016. Accessed September 19, 2019.
The good the bad and the sweet. April 2014. https://www.ramilas.com/news?month=04-2014. Accessed September 19, 2019.
Mercola J. The truth about sugar addiction. June 15, 2019. https://articles.mercola.com/sugar-addiction.aspx. Accessed September 19, 2019.
Reduce sugar. https://www.heartandstroke.ca/get-healthy/healthy-eating/reduce-sugar. Accessed September 17, 2019.
Malik VS, Li Y, Pan A, De Koning L, Schernhammer E, Willett WC, Hu FB. Long-term consumption of sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages and risk of mortality in US adults. Circulation 2019;139(18):2113-2125.
Edwards M. Healthy sugar alternatives and more. July 23, 2017. https://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/healthy-sugar-alternatives-more. Accessed September 9, 2019.

Disclaimer: The suggestions and recommendations in this newsletter are not intended to be prescriptive or diagnostic. The information is accurate and up to date to our knowledge, but we are not responsible for any errors in our sources of information.

For additional information, please email info@ramilas.com or call Ramilas Healing Arts Clinic at 613.829.0427 for an appointment. Please continue letting friends and family know about this newsletter. Also, on our website, please see back issues of this newsletter, information about services, products and our clinic, and order products.