Sugar Awareness Week

We all know consuming too much sugar can be bad for us, but we often don’t realise how much sugar is in the smaller things we eat throughout the day, that all add up.

The Healthy4Life team is full of knowledge and they’ve shared that with us so you can swot up on the sweet stuff!

There can be between five and 16 cubes of sugar in a fizzy drink.

First things first, how much sugar can be in regular day to day foods and what could this look like in a typical day?

  • Sugar coated breakfast cereal = 3+ sugar cubes

  • A cereal bar = 2 sugar cubes

  • A fizzy drink = 5-16 sugar cubes

  • Two chocolate covered biscuits: 2.5 sugar cubes

  • Jelly and two scoops of ice cream = 8 sugar cubes

Cutting back on sugar doesn’t have to be painful or mean a dramatic change in your diet, you can just make smarter choices to reduce how much sugar you or your family consume. For example, some healthy swap ideas you could consider for snack time include:

  • Wholegrain cereal = 0 sugar cubes

  • A piece of fresh fruit = 0 sugar cubes

  • Diet/zero sugar fizzy drink = 0 sugar cubes

  • One plain biscuit or crumpet = 0.5 sugar cubes

  • Sugar free jelly and one scoop of ice-cream = 2 sugar cubes

If you want to make a more impactful change, there are some other things you could consider:

  • Swap flavoured water for sugar free or unflavoured water

  • Reduce how much sugar you add to hot drinks such as tea and coffee

  • Consider using low fat versions of spreads or chopped fruit instead of sugary spreads

  • Choose tinned fruit in juice rather than syrups

  • Purchase lower sugar alternatives where possible e. g.by choosing wholegrain cereals, light hot chocolate etc.

Knowing how to cut back on sugar is handy, but do you know how much sugar is recommended for adults and children? If you don’t know how much is a reasonable amount, you won’t know how best to make some adjustments:

  • 4–6-year-olds = 5 cubes of sugar (19 grams)

  • 7–10-year-olds = 6 cubes of sugar (24 grams)

  • 11+ year olds (including adults) = 7 cubes of sugar (30 grams)

If you or your family have concerns about your lifestyle and want to learn about more ways you can get support to be healthy, contact the Healthy4Life team on 0191 643 7454 or by emailing CHAT@northtyneside.gov.uk

Admin North Tyneside CouncilNews