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Choose a diet
moderate in sugars
Sugars come in many forms
Sugars are carbohydrates. Dietary
carbohydrates also include the complex carbohydrates starch and fiber. During
digestion all carbohydrates except fiber break down into sugars. Sugars and
starches occur naturally in many foods that also supply other nutrients.
Examples of these foods include milk, fruits, some vegetables, breads,
cereals, and grains. Americans eat sugars in many forms, and most people like
their taste. Some sugars are used as natural preservatives, thickeners, and
baking aids in foods; they are often added to foods during processing and
preparation or when they are eaten. The body cannot tell the difference
between naturally occurring and added sugars because they are identical
chemically.
Sugars, health, and weight maintenance
Scientific evidence indicates that diets
high in sugars do not cause hyperactivity or diabetes. The most common type of
diabetes occurs in overweight adults. Avoiding sugars alone will not correct
overweight. To lose weight reduce the total amount of calories from the food
you eat and increase your level of physical activity.
If you wish to
maintain your weight when you eat less fat, replace the lost calories from fat
with equal calories from fruits, vegetables, and grain products, found in the
lower half of the Food Guide Pyramid. Some foods that contain a lot of sugars
supply calories but few or no nutrients. These foods are located at the top of
the Pyramid. For very active people with high calorie needs, sugars can be an
additional source of energy. However, because maintaining a nutritious diet
and a healthy weight is very important, sugars should be used in moderation by
most healthy people and sparingly by people with low calorie needs. This
guideline cautions about eating sugars in large amounts and about frequent
snacks of foods and beverages containing sugars that supply unnecessary
calories and few nutrients.
Sugar substitutes
Sugar substitutes such as sorbitol,
saccharin, and aspartame are ingredients in many foods. Most sugar substitutes
do not provide significant calories and therefore may be useful in the diets
of people concerned about calorie intake. Foods containing sugar substitutes,
however, may not always be lower in calories than similar products that
contain sugars. Unless you reduce the total calories you eat, the use of sugar
substitutes will not cause you to lose weight.
Sugars and dental caries
Both sugars and
starches can promote tooth decay. The more often you eat foods that contain
sugars and starches, and the longer these foods are in your mouth before you
brush your teeth, the greater the risk for tooth decay. Thus, frequent eating
of foods high in sugars and starches as between-meal snacks may be more
harmful to your teeth than eating them at meals and then brushing. Regular
daily dental hygiene, including brushing with a fluoride toothpaste and
flossing, and an adequate intake of fluoride, preferably from fluoridated
water, will help you prevent tooth decay.
ADVICE FOR TODAY
Use sugars in moderation -- sparingly if
your calorie needs are low. Avoid excessive snacking, brush with a fluoride
toothpaste, and floss your teeth regularly. Read the Nutrition Facts Label on
foods you buy. The food label lists the content of total carbohydrate and
sugars, as well as calories.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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and Nutrition Information>Choose
a diet moderate in sugars
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