Did you eat all the kids' Halloween candy yet? The love of sweets is natural. Avoiding them is impossible. And at this time of year, sugar seems to be in everything.
Much of our daily food intake contains the additive sugar. Sugar is consumed in the United States at the alarming rate of more than 130 pounds per year per person, most of it in the form of white table sugar.
Seem impossible? It isn't, and the rate is climbing.
The amount of sugar in cereal is amazing. The ones with the most sugar are Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs, Fruity Pebbles, Honey Comb, Waffle Crisp and some that I've never heard of. The fat content in some of these cereals amazes me. Raisin Nut Bran, Cracklin' Oat Bran, Banana Nut Crunch, Blueberry Morning and other nutty cereals all had more than three grams of fat per serving.
Sweets can be empty calories, so not only do you add calories and fat, you are gaining little nutritional value for those calories. Hidden in many foods are additional sugar calories used in food processing. Sugar retains moisture, prevents spoilage, adds to the appearance of food, and changes its texture. Also, when a food item is not selling, the manufacturer will try adding a little sugar to boost sales.
Most of the 130 pounds of sugar you consume per year is added at the factory, as much as two thirds. The rest you add at home or when eating out. Sugar takes many forms; sucrose, maltose, molasses, honey, fructose, glucose, etc. It's in the ketchup you put on that hamburger. One teaspoon for every tablespoon.
Here's an interesting statistic. One pound of apples equals 263 calories and one pound of Tootsie Rolls 1,792! I have a student who eats Tootsie Rolls non-stop. Another sugar example is low fat yogurt with fruit. It contains 13 teaspoons of sugar. And Kool-Aid has six teaspoons in eight ounces. And here you thought you were eating healthy.
Nutritionally speaking, you don't need sweets. you can pick up your required energy sources from converted starches. However, the public will always love a "sweet" taste and a little usually means a lot. Once started on the Tootsie Rolls or the jelly beans, the whole package goes. Before you start on the candy or cookies, eat some fruit. it will satisfy the sweet craving and there's no fat!
Jerry Vance is certified by the American Council on Exercise and teaches fitness at the Carson City Community Center and for the American Lung Association.
