Added Sugar Challenge

There are two different categories of sugar in our food: natural and added. Read on to learn about the differences in these categories and which one we want to subtract out of our day!

Here’s the difference:

• Natural sugars are sugars found naturally in foods like fruit or white milk. These foods typically have other nutrients like protein, fat, or fiber to help your body slow the digestion of the sugar and prevent large blood sugar spikes.
• Added sugars are the sugars and syrups put into foods during preparation, processing, or at the table to make foods taste sweeter. While these are tasty every once in a while, our bodies don’t need the added sugar most of the time!
  • Our goal is to keep added sugar below 25g per day. You can find added sugar on the food label.

As you look closer at your day-to-day added sugar consumption, there may be some simple switches to decrease that added sugar content! Check out these ideas below.

• Fruit Snacks (5 grams of added sugar, *depending on brand) SWITCH to an Apple (0 grams of added sugar)
• Chocolate Milk (13 grams of added sugar *depending on brand) SWITCH to White Milk (0 Grams of added sugar)
• Cereal (9-12 grams of added sugar *depending on brand) SWITCH to Whole grain Bread (2-4 grams of added sugar *depending on brand)
• Soda (50 grams of added sugar *depending on brand) SWITCH to Water (0 grams of added sugar)

Complete the added sugar challenge this month to help you stay balanced.