Ramadan has entered its third week now. In Bangladesh, to break the fast, some may have jilabi (deep-fried flour which is then soaked in sugar syrup), firni (a rice pudding), misthi doi (sweet yogurt) and fruit juice on their Iftar menu. These items can contain large amounts of sugar.
A high-consumption of sugar increases overall energy intake without providing substantial nutrients to the body. High sugar consumption can lead to unhealthy weight gain, overweight, obesity and tooth decay. Overweight and obesity are risk factors for noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, cancers and diabetes. Noncommunicable diseases are responsible for 67% of total deaths in Bangladesh or 580 000 every year.
WHO recommends that adults consume less than 12 teaspoons of free sugar per day, and for additional health benefits, less than 6 teaspoons of free sugar per day. Free sugar refers to sugar present in sweets, added to processed foods and drinks, and the naturally present sugar in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit concentrates. For example, just one can of a sugar sweetened soda can contain up to 40 grams of sugar. That’s around 10 teaspoons which is almost the total maximum recommended intake of sugar for an adult!
Here are some practical tips to reduce your sugar intake for better health:
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Reduce the sugar added to tea and coffee and avoid presweetened mixes;
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Drink safe water or plain milk. Avoid the consumption of fizzy drinks and sweetened beverages including fruit juice;
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Replace sugary snacks with fresh whole fruit and raw vegetables. Aim to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day;
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Reduce the consumption of cookies, cakes, sugary snacks, chocolates, candies, pastries and misthi.
*Free sugars are different from intrinsic sugars found in whole fresh fruits and vegetables. The WHO guidelines do not refer to sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables and sugars naturally present in milk, as there is no reported evidence of adverse health effects of consuming these sugars.”
Reference:
- Healthy diet
World Health Organization. 2015. Accessed on 3 June 2018.