In a University of California San Francisco report, it’s estimated that most adults consume 17 teaspoons of sugar every day. The American Heart Association recommends women consume 6 teaspoons or less and men should not exceed 9 teaspoons. Given this, how much sugar is your mom or dad consuming?
Each year, 1.5 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with diabetes. Another 84.1 have prediabetes. That’s just one of the risks. Too much sugar is also linked to increased risk of heart and/or liver disease. Some studies also believe that too much sugar may increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
How Can You Tell How Much is Too Much?
One teaspoon of sugar equals four grams. This means women should not go higher than 24 grams each day, and men need to limit themselves to 36 grams.
If you look at how much sugar is in some common products, it becomes alarming. A sandwich made with two slices of whole-wheat bread contains 3.2 grams of sugar.
A half-cup serving of canned minestrone soup from Campbell’s has two 2 grams of sugar. One single-size container (3.5 ounces) of blueberry yogurt can have as much as 19 grams of sugar. One cinnamon and raisin bagel has 7.8 grams of sugar.
Hidden Forms of Sugar
Many processed foods have hidden sugar. Sugar is often hidden in soups, condiments, and jarred sauces. It’s also in crackers and bread.
Read labels carefully. Sugar isn’t the only term you need to watch for. Look for agave, barley malt, cane juice, corn syrup/corn syrup solids, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, sorghum, sucanat, sucrose, and turbinado. Diastatic malt, ethyl maltol, maltodextrin, and maltose are others.
Tips for Limiting Sugar
If your mom or dad needs to cut back on sugar intake, there are some easy things you can do. If your mom or dad drink soda, try to get them to switch to seltzer. If they can’t stand the taste, you could add a splash of fruit juice.
Does your parent love dessert? Avoid ice cream when possible and make a parfait from fresh fruit and cooked steel-cut oats. You can also serve sliced apples and cheddar cheese or whip up a little bit of heavy cream and pureed fruit for a quick mousse.
Home Care Services Providers Can Cook Meals That Leave Little Room for Sweet Treats
Some seniors hate to cook and lean towards frozen meals, canned foods, and ready-to-eat items. These increase sugar intake. With a home-cooked meal, there are better controls in place to reduce unnecessary sugars.
Home care services providers assist your family by working with your parents to create menu plans. They can take your parents shopping for ingredients and put groceries away back at home. Home care services aides also cook meals and sit with seniors for the meal if necessary. Get started with meal preparation services by making a call.
Sources: http://sugarscience.ucsf.edu/the-growing-concern-of-overconsumption.html#.XC9_OlxKiM8
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/statistics/
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Services in Norwood MA, or anywhere in Eastern Massachusetts, please call the caring staff at CARE Resolutions – (508) 906-5572.
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