LIFESTYLE NEWS - It is often said that you are what you eat, but what about what you drink?
National Nutrition Week, which runs from 9 to 15 October, has a clear message: Rethink your drink - choose water!
"I have seen many obese patients who are unable to lose weight. When we take a look at their daily eating and drinking habits I am astounded to see how many calories they drink in a day," says dietician Beatrie Zandberg.
Did you know that a 330ml fizzy drink contains 9 teaspoons of sugar, or that the 250ml juice box you are giving to your children contains 8 teaspoons of sugar?
Energy drinks, sweetened tea and vitamin water are also high in sugar.
If you add your daily sugar intake from drinks to that from what you eat you will be surprised at the total.
Excess sugar consumption is associated with weight gain and an increased risk for non-communicable diseases (NCD), including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
While all foods high in sugar have a harmful effect on the body, liquid sugar in the form of sugary drinks is rich in energy, but poor in other nutrients, and has a low level of satiety.
Many forms, many names
Sugar comes in many forms and with many names. Look at the ingredient list on the food or drinks label for ingredients such as: sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, honey, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose, syrup or cane sugar.
Generally, the main ingredients in a food or drink will be listed among the first three ingredients on a food label's list of ingredients.
Divide the number of grams of total sugar by 4.
For example: If a 500ml drink has 60g of sugar, divide 60 by 4. That equals 15 teaspoons of sugar! Sugary drinks are drinks containing natural sugars such as fruit juice or drinks to which sugars have been added such as fizzy drinks, teas or coffees, flavoured waters, flavoured milk, drinking yogurt and sports and energy drinks.
Although consumption of sugary drinks is not the only cause of obesity, it is strongly linked to increased energy intake and weight gain in both adults and children.
Healthy children
Parents and care givers should ensure that children in their care have access to clean, safe drinking water during the day. Give them a bottle of clean, safe water to take to school instead of a sugary drink.
The First Thousand Days initiative highlights that a child's health is most vulnerable during the first 1 000 days of its life. This period, from conception until a child's second birthday, offers a unique window of opportunity to shape healthier and more prosperous futures.
Sugary drinks are not only bad for their health but also their teeth. Water is the healthiest option to quench your family's thirst.
Tips to increase your intake of water:
- Make water your drink of choice. Plan to drink a glass of water before drinking a sugary drink.
- It is much cheaper to drink tap water which contains no sugar.
- Carry water with you. Having your own water supply at hand makes drinking water so much easier.
- Add lime, lemon, mint leaves, cucumber slices or berries to your water. This makes it easier to drink more water throughout the day. Prepare flavoured water in advance.
- Sip a bit of water every time you brush your teeth.
For more information on the First Thousand Days, visit www.westerncape.gov.za.
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