Sugar is killing us & our families

😡New studies link over-consumption to an increased risk of kidney damage, heart disease and cancer - but while we know it's not good for our health, many of us just can't stop.

😏Sugar is a carbohydrate found in natural foods such as fruit, vegetables, honey and milk. Sugar is also used in refined form by manufacturers to sweeten foods and drinks, and for food preservation. The most common sugars are sucrose, glucose, lactose and fructose.

❌What are the different types of sugar?

• Glucose.

• Fructose (a.k.a. fruit sugar)

• Sucrose (a.k.a. table sugar)

• Lactose (a.k.a. dairy sugar)

❌We should be aiming for less than 6tsp or 26gm of free sugars per day. Free Sugars are white sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, agave, syrups such as maple & golden, fruit juices or any Free sugar is what we call any sugar added to a food or drink.

‼️What we call “table sugar” is one of the worst sugars, sucrose. It's actually comprised of two sugars: fructose and glucose. Fructose is the sugar that our liver metabolises, which turns into fat when we eat more than the small amount in fruit.

🟡Natural sugar in fruits and vegetables does not count toward the daily intake. Natural sugars obtained from fruits and vegetables are high in fibre, which reduces blood sugar spikes.

❌Is Brown Sugar better? Contrary to common belief, they are nutritionally similar. Brown sugar contains slightly more minerals than white sugar but will not provide any health benefits. In fact, your intake of all types of sugar should be limited for optimal health

❌Is honey better than sugar? Honey has a lower GI value than sugar, meaning that it does not raise blood sugar levels as quickly. Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you may need less of it, but it does have slightly more calories per teaspoon so it's wise to keep a close eye on your portion sizes.

❌One tablespoon of honey contains 64 Calories. By contrast, a tablespoon of sugar contains 45 Calories. However, honey tastes sweeter than sugar, and people tend to use less, thereby saving calories.

❌What about Maple Syrup? Honey does contain amino acids while Maple Syrup does not. In a head to head on sugar & calorie content, 1 teaspoon of honey contains 17.3 grams of sugar and 21 calories while 1 teaspoon of maple syrup contains 13.5 grams of sugar and 17 calories.

⭕️Honey has more of vitamins C and B6 but maple syrup contains minerals including iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, potassium, magnesium, copper, and manganese. Maple syrup also contains more of the other B vitamins such as B1, B2 and B5.

‼️Here’s more on sugar https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503456&objectid=11355769

✅We’ve been discussing reducing our sugar in the gym this week for some clients but others have chosen another habit to remove or change such as coffee, processed carbohydrates or alcohol. Some chose to add a habit such as earlier bed times or more water. Join us in improving a habit for AUGUST!

✅Not only do I look to improve clients overall fitness but also their health knowledge with discussions on different topics every week. Knowledge is power!