There are caster sugar enthusiasts, those who prefer brown sugar or brown sugar for their yogurt, icing sugar fans and those who swear by “slow sugars”.
Whether they are called glucose, fructose, sucrose or starch, carbohydrates (sugars) come to our table several times a day. They are also essential to the human body.starting with the brain, since they are the ones that bring it energy and pleasure, an ingredient necessary for the release of serotonin, the messenger hormone of well-being.
How to choose the right sugars?
Some sugars are naturally present in cane or beets (sucrose), the fruits (fructose), honey (fructose and glucose), dairy products (lactose), but also bread or rice (starch), for example. “Good sugars are all those contained in the foods found in the food pyramid: lactose from dairy products, starch from cereals and fructose from fruits and vegetables.” says Julie Chatté, dietitian-nutritionist.
Others, such as maltose, maltodextrin, glucose, fructose or corn syrups, invert sugar… have invaded our diet without us even realizing it: these are “added sugars” hidden in many food products.
It is found in sodas of course, but also in breakfast cereals, cooked dishes, prepared soups, ketchup, cold cuts and even toothpaste and cigarettes!
How to hunt for hidden sugars?
On a daily basis, the French would thus consume 100 g of added sugar“i.e. almost 20 sugar cubes per day or an average of 35 kg of sugar per year”, notes Professor Laurent Castera, hepatologist, while the World Health Organization (WHO) only recommends 25 g, the equivalent of 5 level teaspoons. “Sugar is the main culprit in the epidemic of overweight and obesity, diabetes and ‘fatty liver'”, assures our expert.
To track down these added sugars, at the supermarket, we shop with a free app (Yuka, Sugar Smart, Open Food facts) to choose products “without added sugar”.
How to reduce your sugar consumption?
You can start by eliminating or reducing your consumption of sugary drinks (soda, but also 100% natural fruit juices), associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Reduce the amount of sugar in your coffee, yogurt, prepare homemade compotes without adding sugar are other useful little gestures.
By cooking yourself, you also avoid the hidden sugars in store-bought beef with carrots or tomato sauce. If preparing a dessert, it is advantageous to replace the sugar with a smaller quantity of rapadura (whole cane sugar), honey or agave syrup, which are more interesting for their nutritional quality.
