Lecture 18: Sugar And Health Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is sugar?
- carbohydrate
- main sugar in the diet is sucrose (disaccharide)
- often called ‘simple carbohydrate’
- 16.7kJ per gram
What are the two main roles of sugar in the body, what 2 hormones is it regulated by and how, and what else can our brains use for fuel?
- Major source of energy
- Used in metabolic processes
Regulated by insulin and glucagon, glucose/blood sugar comes from sucrose and starches in the diet which are broken down to glucose during digestion, generally by the liver
Ketones
What are the 3 purchased items that most sugar comes from?
- Sugars, honey and related products
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Other products
What are total sugars, added sugars, free sugars and intrinsic sugars?
Total sugars = all sugars in foods and beverages
Added sugars = only sugar that is added to foods and beverages
Free sugars = monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages and naturally occurring sugars in honey, fruit juices etc
Intrinsic sugars = natural sugars in fruits, vegetables and milk
What are the guidelines for free sugars?
Free sugars should make up no more than 10% of total energy, with further recommendation to reduce intake below 5% TE for additional health benefits
Are people in NZ eating meeting the guidelines? And what are the age trends?
No, people eat much more total sugars and free sugars than they should.
The % of people meeting the sugar guidelines increases with age, meaning that interventions should primarily be focused on young people.
What is the relationship between sugar and health?
- There is a significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk of CVD mortality
- Intake of free sugars influences body weight, but changes in body weight are due to changes in energy intake
- high sugar intake leads to dental caries, regardless of fluoride use
- high sugar intake encourages weight gain
Are sugary drinks or foods more harmful and why?
Drinks; because the volume, concentration and speed in which fructose is ingested, absorbed and metabolized is greater when liquid
What are two kinds of alternative sweeteners?
- Non-nutritive sweeteners: sweetening agents that have a higher sweetening intensity and lower calorie content per gram compared to nutritive sweeteners —> less energy than sugar
- Low-calorie sweeteners: low-digestible carbohydrates derived from the hydrogenation of their sugar or syrup sources —> can be metabolized differently
What is the relationship between alternative sweeteners and health (4)?
- Some people cannot have aspartame, dangerous for health
- Artificial sweeteners are associated with higher BMI and risk of type 2 diabetes and stroke
- Alter composition of gut microbes
- May also contribute to glucose intolerance by altering type and function of gut microbes
What does the WHO recommend regarding non-sugar sweeteners (NSS)?
WHO recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases
What are the 4 A’s of sugar consumption?
Awareness – do we know how much sugar is in products
Acceptability – how acceptable is sugar and its alternatives
Availability – of sugar and sugary products
Affordability – how much products cost
What is required for sugar labeling in NZ?
Only the total sugar per serve and per 100g/mL —> makes it hard to know how much added/free sugar is in a product and therefore harder to reduce intake of these
What are 3 barriers to reducing sugar intake?
- sugar is familiar, cheap and reliable (people know what to expect)
- some alternatives can have a noticeable aftertaste
- sugar is linked to celebrations, comfort food and tradition
What are 4 NZ regulations for food labels?
Food label must:
- be part of or attached to the package
- be easy to read
- be written in English
- have the right info to meet the rules of the Code
What are 10 key components that must be on a food label?
- Name of the food (an accurate name or description)
- Name and address of the supplier
- Lot identification (where food was packaged and/or prepared)
- Net contents of food/drink
- Directions for storage and usage
- Date marking (shelf life/‘use by’/‘best before’)
- Ingredient list (descending order by weight and including food additives, preservatives, flavours and colors)
- Percentage labeling of characteristic ingredient (eg. strawberry yoghurt = strawberries)
- Mandatory statements to identify ingredients/substances of concern (eg. allergy info, advisory/warning statements)
- Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) including 7 key nutrients per serve AND per 100g/mL
What kinds of foods must the country of origin be on?
Fruits, vegetables, meat, fin fish and shellfish that are:
- of a single type
- fresh, thawed or frozen
- no more than minimally processed
What are exceptions to these regulations for
- foods that don’t require all components (3)
- foods that don’t require any components (6)
Foods that don’t require all components:
- small packages such as gum
- foods for catering
- alcoholic beverages
Foods that don’t require any components:
- unpackaged foods
- food made where it is sold/packaged in front of you
- ready-to-eat food
- whole or fresh veg/fruit in transparent packaging
- fundraising food
- food packaged inside other food
What are 3 types of health claims?
-
Content: refer to amount of a nutrient or substance in a food
e.g. ‘Contains fibre’ -
General level: refer to nutrient or substance and its effect on health function
e.g. ‘Calcium is good for bones and teeth’ -
High level: refer to nutrient or substance and its relationship to a disease or biomarker of that disease
e.g. ‘Diets high in calcium may reduce risk of osteoporosis’
