Many people try to reduce the amount of sugar they eat every day, but avoiding it is often difficult. Food companies add sugar to many items, including bread, sauces, and flavored yogurts. In fact, sugar appears on ingredient labels under more than fifty different names, such as dextrose, fructose, and cane syrup. Naturally occurring sugars in fresh fruit and plain milk are safe because these foods provide important vitamins and fiber. However, health organizations state that people consume too much added sugar, which can lead to serious health problems.
Recent health reports show that hidden sugars can easily cause people to double their recommended daily limits. Drinking sugary sodas and fruit juices is particularly risky because liquid sugar does not make people feel full. Health experts advise consumers to check food labels carefully and switch to fresh fruit or nuts for snacks. A senior scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation stated, "Ultimately, sugar is still sugar, and the body processes different types in much the same way." Small, gradual changes can help people protect their teeth and maintain a healthy weight over time.
Chat
Talk about these words from the article.
sugar / avoid / ingredient labels / reduce / natural sugar / health organization / limit / added sugar / grocery store / food companies / healthy weight / nutrition / fresh fruit / liquid sugar / consumer / process
-
Discussion
1) According to the text, why is it difficult for people to avoid eating sugar in their daily lives?
2) How often do you check the ingredient labels when you buy food at the grocery store?
3) What are your favorite sweet treats, and how often do you enjoy them?
4) Do you think it is easy or difficult to maintain a healthy diet in your city or town?
5) What do you usually eat or drink when you need a quick boost of energy during the day?
6) How have your eating habits changed since you were a child?
7) What advice would you give to a friend who wants to reduce their daily sugar intake?
8) Why does the scientist from the British Nutrition Foundation say that the body processes different types of sugar in the same way?
