This week you will challenge yourself to know how much sugar you are actually eating. First, you have to be able to spot sugar. Sugar often is hidden, in things you would never think – so you may be surprised. When looking at sugar content, also look for other forms such as molasses, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and '-ose' words like dextrose and maltose. They all mean sugar. Sugar often replaces fat in low-fat/fat-free foods and you’ll find it in things that can really be made from just a few ingredients like nut butters, breads and salad dressings. For example, there are many brands of peanut butter that are made with added sugar, when in reality all you really need to make peanut butter is one ingredient- peanuts.
Good luck on the sugar hunt this week!
Day 1
Sugar: Hiding in Plain Sight - by Robert Lustig and The Tremendousness Collective.
Action Step:
Watch this video and take the short quiz afterwards.
Action Step:
Gather the tools you will need to measure your sugar intake over the rest of this week.
Helpful online trackers and apps: (Note these online resources and apps are tools and potentially may not be 100% accurate, so be sure to check your food labels on the products you buy as well.)
Here is a handy list and some tips when trying to decode sugar. Most of the information on this Decoder is on the paper Sugar Tracker too.
Sugar Visual
Gather what you need for your “Sugar Visual”. It will be powerful to keep not only the amount of sugar in black and white in your Sugar Tracker, but also as a visual on your counter top. Collect:
6 - Quart sized plastic clear bags (one for each week). This will be known as your Sugar Visual.
1 - Marker or pen to label each week’s plastic clear bag,
1 - Teaspoon measuring spoon, and
Bag of white granulated sugar.
You will use these over the next 6 days (and through the rest of this Mini Challenge) to get a visual of how much you consume in a little less than a week. You will learn to spot sugar by using the Sugar Decoder and translate grams into teaspoons. For example, how much sugar are you really eating when the label says a serving contains 6 grams? To give you a visual, 4 grams = 1 teaspoon of sugar. So if your muffin has 6g of sugar, visualize the 1.5 teaspoons of sugar that’s inside it.
How to Read a Food Label
Take a few minutes to read some tips on reading a food label so there is no gotchas at the end of the day. Make sure to pay attention to the carbohydrate section. You will be referencing this section a lot, especially the amount of sugars, during this Mini Challenge.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has updated the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods and beverages with a fresh design that will make it easier for you to make informed food choices that contribute to lifelong healthy eating habits. Food manufactures will be required to update their labels to the new ones by 2021.
New: Added Sugars is now required on the label!
Did you know? Americans consume on average 66 pounds of added sugar each year!
Day 2-7
Action Step:
Track how much sugar you are really eating. For the next 6 days measure your sugar intake.
For days 2-7, you will gather your sugar intake. Each day evaluate everything you eat and drink and make sure none of the hidden sugars sneak by you. Use your Sugar Tracker throughout the day to track the sugar content. Then at the end of each day take your Tracker and apply your overall sugar intake to your week 1 Sugar Visual bag. Remember, do not modify yet, just learn and get your baseline.
IMPORTANT: For purposes of this Mini Challenge you do not have to include the natural sugars that are in fresh, whole fruits and vegetables. You can also exclude frozen fruits and vegetables if there is no added sugar. However if you have a medical condition, like diabetes, or you are already watching your added sugars and want to focus more on total sugars, there is nothing stopping you to include them in your daily calculation. This program is designed to be flexible to meet you where you are, as everyone will be starting from a different place, and only you will know that starting point.
However, just note there are some whole fruits and veggies that have more natural sugars than others do. Some that have higher naturals sugars include: Banana, Beets, Winter Squashes (ex: Butternut), Corn, Figs, Peas, Plantains, Pineapple, Potatoes (White & Sweet) & Dried Fruits & Veggies.
Please consult with your physician prior to starting any kind of diet, exercise or wellness program. This program is not intended to give medical, nutritional or wellness advice.
