Information about the nutrition and the ingredients that you read on food packaging is regulated by the Federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. When considering how much sugar is in your daily diet, reading the labels is a good place to start. Information about the amount of sugar per serving size must be listed. Understanding how much sugar you are eating is a good way to begin managing your intake.
The first place to look for sugar on a food label is under Carbohydrates, which are the sugars that are digested in the form of sucrose. While on a nutrition label, sugar does not provide any nutrition as do vitamins or minerals.
Sugars are found naturally in some foods such as fruit (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). Or it can be added in several different forms, of which the most common are glucose, fructose, lactose, and corn syrups.
Natural sugars can be good for you but high in calories. Some foods with natural sugare are:
Molasses is a thick, by-product syrup of refining sugar. Provides calcium and iron.
Honey can boost your energy but do not forget to brush your teeth afterwards.
Maple syurp contains lots of minerals, potassium and calcium.
Sugar is a form of a carbohydrate and carbohydrates help burn fat. Eating foods with carbohydrates before exercising slows down the fat-burning process. But having a carbohydrate treat after working out may help you burn fat and repairs muscle break down and if eaten within the hour does not turn into fat.
Just because you work out it does not mean you can keep sticking your hand in the candy jar. Your body has a limited capicity to store excess sugars before it turns into fat. So eating refined sugars found in fruits, vegetables and grains can help you keep off the excess weight.
Article by: St. Louis Public Library staff