Interpreting Sugars in foods

Sugar contributes to tooth decay, and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults consume only six or less teaspoons (approximately 24 grams) of free sugar to decrease their risk of tooth decay and unhealthy weight gain.

Descriptors of sugars include:
 

1.Added  sugar

Sugar added to food and drink products during processing, manufacturing or at the time of consumption, for example adding sugar to your tea or coffee or sprinkling it on cereal.

2.Free sugar 

Added sugars, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juice and fruit juice concentrate.

3.Natural  sugar 

Sugar that is part of the natural structure of food products, such as fruits (fructose) and dairy (lactose).

How natural and added sugars affect the body

Foods such as fruit and milk have small amounts of natural sugars and fibre, vitamins, and minerals which are good for the body. Milk also includes calcium, which protects the teeth and bones.

However it is processed foods with large quantities of added sugar that often have no or limited nutritional value.

Hidden sugars

Sugar comes in many forms, and both added and free sugars can contribute to tooth decay.

Sugar can be called over 50 different names, making it hard to detect on food and drink labels, known as hidden sugars. 

. 

Recommended daily sugar intake

One can of soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, which is 1.5 times the recommended daily sugar intake by the WHO (6 or less teaspoons (24 grams) of free sugar per day).

Reading the Nutrition Information Panel

To know how much sugar is in the foods and drinks you purchase, read the Nutrition Information Panel on the food label to make a healthy choice.

When looking at the 100 g column, it is best to look for foods with 5g or less sugar. Between 5g and 10g is okay but if the product has over 15g of sugar per 100g, it may be best to find a healthier alternative.

​
Many products will not point out which ingredients are added sugars or the amount of added sugar in the food or drink item. To check added sugars, read the list of ingredients, at the base of the food label. The higher an ingredient is to the top of the list, the more is present within the item.

How do I find a healthy option?

The Health Star Rating System is a food labelling system in Australia and New Zealand, which started in 2014. Manufacturers of packaged foods and drinks may put a star rating on the label of their product, with the star ratings ranging from ½ to 5 stars. The rating is made using a calculator that looks at nutrients and ingredients in the food or drink. The higher the stars, the healthier the food or drink is compared similar products.
Check out this guide for using the Health Star Rating.