*Today’s post is sponsored by the dietitians at the Canadian Sugar Institute. I was provided compensation for my time and product used. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are by Lalitha Taylor, RD and are not influenced by the company I completed the article for.
What’s the deal on sugar?
It’s easy to get confused about sugar. Over the years, we’ve been bombarded with different messaging about sugar. I’m often asked by clients, “Should I cut out sugar?” Many people often fear this nutrient. As a dietitian who works with athletes, sugar, both natural and added, can be part of a healthy diet to provide optimal fuel for sport performance. I’ve worked with athletes who have “hit a wall” or “bonked” during a practice, game or race because they were in need of sugar to help support their energy needs. That feeling of being so drained or exhausted is often alleviated when athletes consume adequate carbohydrate, which includes natural or added sugar. I’ve also worked with athletes who chronically under fuel. In most cases, by adding carbohydrates (that contain natural or added sugar) this can help support athletes with their overall caloric requirements and sport performance goals.
Health Canada’s new labeling regulations state that up to 20% of your daily caloric value can be from sugars—this includes both natural and added sugars. What does this mean? It means that an individual consuming 2000 kcal per day could have up to 100 grams of sugar in their diet and this would still be consistent with a healthy pattern of eating. With the updated labels, sugar now has a percent Daily Value (% DV) on the Nutrition Facts Table which will help consumers make more informed decisions about this nutrient.
The % DV tells you how much you are consuming of a nutrient. Some guidelines regarding this include: 5% or less is a little of a nutrient and 15% or more is a lot of a nutrient.
The % DV is a great tool to use when you are quickly trying to compare similar products. It also helps to put into context how much sugar you are consuming based on your total daily intake.
The new labelling looks like this:
What does the sugar mean on the Nutrition Facts Table?
Sugar listed on the Nutrition Facts Table is a combination of both natural and added sugar. Natural sugars are present in fruits, vegetables and dairy products (yogurt, milk). Added sugars include items such as sugar, brown sugar, concentrated fruit juices, maple syrup and glucose-fructose. Natural sugars found in whole foods will provide us with MORE overall nutrients, such as potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and fiber. Because of this, the 100 gram daily value encourages people to consume the majority of sugars coming from whole, natural foods.
Does 100 grams of sugar seem like a lot?
This 100 gram daily value is not a value we are suggesting consumers have to reach for optimal health; however, it helps support the messaging that healthy eating can include a variety of nutrients that support health, sport performance and pleasure.
A group of dietitians, including myself, participated in a virtual cooking workshop that demonstrated how the 20% Daily Value of sugars can work within a healthy and sustainable dietary eating pattern. I was excited to take part in the Canadian Sugar Institute (CSI) #CSIHomeSweetHome challenge to learn how to showcase this. Andrea Holwegner, Registered Dietitian at Health Stand Nutrition facilitated the workshop and created all the delicious recipes that we had the opportunity to prepare. I loved that Andrea even included some of my favorite foods—dark chocolate!
Follow along to see how this healthy menu demonstrates what 100 grams of sugar can look like in a day:
BREAKFASTBLUEBERRY PECAN BAKED OATMEAL MUFFIN
Nutritional Information per Serving:
Blueberry Pecan Baked Oatmeal Muffin (1 muffin) = 6 grams of sugar
SERVED WITH:
Plain 2% Greek Yogurt (3/4 cup) = 6 grams of sugar
Maple Syrup (1 Tbsp) = 12 grams of sugar
Blueberries (1/2 cup) = 8 grams of sugar
32 grams of Total Sugar
LUNCHASIAN *Chicken SALAD BOWL
*I used extra-firm tofu as a substitute
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Asian Tofu Salad Bowl = 11 grams of sugar
SERVED WITH:
Tall Iced Coffee with 2% milk = 17 grams of sugar
28 grams of Total Sugar
AFTERNOON SNACK STRAWBERRY AVOCADO SALSA
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Strawberry Avocado Salsa = 3 grams of sugar
SERVED WITH:
Tortilla Chips (12 chips) = 0 grams of sugar
3 grams of Total Sugar
DINNEREASY CHICKPEA BURGER WITH APPLE POPPYSEED COLESLAW
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Easy Chickpea Burger = 5 grams of sugar
SERVED WITH:
Multigrain Bun = 3 grams of sugar
Toppings (lettuce, tomato, pickle, ketchup, mustard) = 4 grams of sugar
Apple Poppyseed Coleslaw (1 serving) = 17 grams of sugar
29 grams of Total Sugar
DESSERTDARK CHOCOLATE 70%
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Dark Chocolate 70% (3 squares) = 9 grams of sugar
9 grams of Total Sugar
NUTRITION ANALYSIS FOR THE FULL DAY’S MENU
Final thoughts.
This menu was super fun to prepare and delicious to eat. It also exemplifies how you can consume sugars within this 20% DV while enjoying a healthy, creative and balanced menu. The new Health Canada regulations help perpetuate the message that you can consume all foods in moderation, which ties in well with my philosophy as a dietitian.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned as a dietitian that deprivation does not work. In fact, avoiding nutrients, such as sugar, can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food and body. It evokes guilt and fear, which takes away from the pleasure of eating and cooking. This challenge proves that the 20% DV of sugars can work within one’s diet—whether it be for health, satisfaction or sport performance goals.
Special thanks to Andrea Holwegner and the Canadian Sugar Institute for including me in the ‘Home Sweet Home’ Virtual Workshop.
