Sarah Di Lorenzo: How much sugar a day should you eat? The difference between natural sugar versus added sugar

Sugar is one of the most confusing topics in nutrition and its often misunderstood. So is the sugar in a banana really the same as the sugar in a packet of lollies?

Chemically, it’s very similar. Nutritionally it’s a world apart and understanding why can change the way you eat and think about sugar.

The World Health Organization recommends we keep “free sugars” to less than 10 per cent of our daily energy intake, which is about 50 grams for an average adult, and ideally below 5 per cent.

At that lower target, that’s about 25 grams or easier to understand is six teaspoons a day.

A single can of soft drink can contain around 40 grams, roughly 10 teaspoons which is more than the whole ideal allowance in one can.

Australians are eating less sugar than we used to. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics survey found we now have about 43 grams of free sugars a day, down from 60 grams in 2011–12.

That’s around 8 per cent of our daily energy. It’s under the 10 per cent limit, but still above the ideal of 5 per cent.

A quarter of that sugar comes from sweet drinks alone and because the survey relies on people reporting what they eat, I suspect the real figure is higher.

Free sugars are those added to food by manufacturers, cooks or by us at home, plus the sugars found in honey, syrups and fruit juice.

It is important to know the WHO limit does not include the sugars naturally found in whole fruit, vegetables and plain milk, because there is no evidence they cause harm.

That is the key difference to really understand. The sugar in an apple and in a lolly is similar, mostly glucose, fructose and sucrose.

But your body doesn’t eat sugar in isolation. It eats food.

An apple delivers its sugar wrapped in fibre, water, vitamin C and protective plant compounds called polyphenols.

The fibre slows how quickly that sugar reaches your bloodstream, keeps you fuller for longer and feeds your good gut bacteria.

Whole fruit is also hard to overeat. I am yet to meet an overeater of fruit.

While you could drink the juice of four oranges in a minute, few of us would eat four oranges. This is why I avoid and never recommend juices.

Lollies, biscuits and soft drinks deliver concentrated sugar with very little or no fibre or nutrients. They send blood sugar up quickly, followed by a dip that leaves you tired, hungry and reaching for more.

Research backs up the finding that eating more whole fruit, particularly blueberries, grapes and apples, was linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, drinking more fruit juice was linked with a higher risk.

It’s an observational study, so it shows a link, not proof.

To put eating whole fruit into practice, two servings a day — such as an apple and a cup of berries — is a great target. Pair it with protein like Greek yoghurt or a handful of nuts to keep your blood sugar steady.

Swap sugary drinks for water, sparkling water with lemon or herbal tea. For most people, this makes the biggest difference.

Learn how to read the label, Australian food labels show total sugars only, which lumps natural and added sugars together, and the food regulator decided earlier this year not to add a separate added sugars line.

So check the ingredients list (where ingredients appear from largest to smallest) for sugar and its many aliases that include glucose syrup, rice malt syrup, dextrose, cane sugar, honey and fruit juice concentrate.

If several appear, or one sits near the top, it’s what I call an occasional food if at all. Flavoured yoghurts, cereals, muesli bars and sauces are common culprits.

Having a bit of birthday cake every now and then won’t undo a healthy diet. But there is a world of difference between the sugar in a bowl of berries and the sugar in a bag of lollies.

Focus on whole foods first, and the sugar will largely take care of itself.

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