Sugar in now being considered as addictive as any other drug.
Researchers are trying to prove that sugar and sweetness can induce cravings comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs.
A report Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit, published a few years ago by Serge Ahmed of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, together with Karine Guillem of the University of Victor Segalen Bordeaux, and Youna Vandaele of John Hopkins University in Baltimore, got the debate rolling.
The researchers found that sugar created an addictive craving comparable to cocaine.
“Sugar and sweetness can induce reward and craving that are comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs,” the researchers concluded.
The World Health Organisation has stated: “Adults and children need to reduce their daily intake of sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake.
“A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25g per day would provide additional health benefits.”
East London-based dietitian Janet Sinclair agreed that South Africans were consuming more sugar than they should.
“People are having way too much sugar. For most it’s a way of life because it’s an easy way to get their energy levels up. Cold drinks, juice and fizzy drinks are all . People should rather drink water.
“ If people eat well-balanced meals they will not crave any of the other bad food,” she said
According to Sinclair, brown sugar was no better than white sugar.
“Sugar is sugar. Brown or white, it is still sugar. In terms of calories there is not much difference in honey either,” Sinclair added.
She said people could not hide behind they excuse that they had a “sweet tooth”.
“You can change what you like. It will not happen quickly, but if one is willing to do it and give it time, it is possible to change.
“People can even teach their children to eat healthy. Children will not starve themselves. If you only offer good food, they will eat it,” she said.
Some of the daily recommendations for sugar intake includes:
l Children aged four to six should have no more than 19g or five teaspoons of sugar per day;
l Children aged seven to 10 should have no more than 24g or six teaspoons per day; and
l Children aged 11 years and older, as well as adults, should have no more than 30g or seven teaspoons per day.
Foods with high sugar content which are consumed by both children and adults include:
l A 250ml iced tea contains 19g or four teaspoons of sugar;
l A 250ml flavoured drinking yoghurt has 26.8g or five-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar;
l A 330ml cola contains 35g or seven teaspoons of sugar; and
l A 330ml ginger beer contains 37g or six-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
Experts warn against the dangers of sugar
Researchers are trying to prove that sugar and sweetness can induce cravings comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs.
A report Sugar addiction: pushing the drug-sugar analogy to the limit, published a few years ago by Serge Ahmed of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, together with Karine Guillem of the University of Victor Segalen Bordeaux, and Youna Vandaele of John Hopkins University in Baltimore, got the debate rolling.
The researchers found that sugar created an addictive craving comparable to cocaine.
“Sugar and sweetness can induce reward and craving that are comparable in magnitude to those induced by addictive drugs,” the researchers concluded.
The World Health Organisation has stated: “Adults and children need to reduce their daily intake of sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake.
“A further reduction to below 5% or roughly 25g per day would provide additional health benefits.”
East London-based dietitian Janet Sinclair agreed that South Africans were consuming more sugar than they should.
“People are having way too much sugar. For most it’s a way of life because it’s an easy way to get their energy levels up. Cold drinks, juice and fizzy drinks are all . People should rather drink water.
“ If people eat well-balanced meals they will not crave any of the other bad food,” she said
According to Sinclair, brown sugar was no better than white sugar.
“Sugar is sugar. Brown or white, it is still sugar. In terms of calories there is not much difference in honey either,” Sinclair added.
She said people could not hide behind they excuse that they had a “sweet tooth”.
“You can change what you like. It will not happen quickly, but if one is willing to do it and give it time, it is possible to change.
“People can even teach their children to eat healthy. Children will not starve themselves. If you only offer good food, they will eat it,” she said.
Some of the daily recommendations for sugar intake includes:
l Children aged four to six should have no more than 19g or five teaspoons of sugar per day;
l Children aged seven to 10 should have no more than 24g or six teaspoons per day; and
l Children aged 11 years and older, as well as adults, should have no more than 30g or seven teaspoons per day.
Foods with high sugar content which are consumed by both children and adults include:
l A 250ml iced tea contains 19g or four teaspoons of sugar;
l A 250ml flavoured drinking yoghurt has 26.8g or five-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar;
l A 330ml cola contains 35g or seven teaspoons of sugar; and
l A 330ml ginger beer contains 37g or six-and-a-half teaspoons of sugar. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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