When should you worry about sugar?

Written By: Mairead, Registered Dietitian”How much sugar should I have?”

This is such a common question, and something that stresses out a lot of people. How do you know if you’re having too much sugar, and when is it an issue?

Health Canada recommends limiting sugar from all sources to 20% of your daily calories. For a 2000 calorie per day diet, this works out to 100g. “From all sources” would include the obvious foods, like desserts and pop, but also the sugar naturally occurring in fruits, vegetables, and dairy.

But to answer this question for each person specifically, there’s more things to consider:

• Are sugary foods squeezing out more nutrient-dense options? Are we seeing nutritional gaps due to choosing foods that are high in sugar but low in other nutrients? Are we not drinking enough water because we’re consuming mroe sugar-sweetened beverages?
• Has your doctor identified any blood sugar issues? If so, we may need to be more conscious of how much sugar you’re having, as well as the timing of it.
• What does your diet look like as a whole? Are you eating lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats? Are you getting enough fibre? If the majority of our diet is generally nutrient-dense and meeting our needs, added sugars and treats are going to be less of a concern in the big picture.

It’s also worth noting that, contrary to what social media would have you believe, sugar is not truly addicting. In the studies often referenced, rats were shown to display addictive behaviour to sugar only when it was restricted. Trying to cut out sugar entirely often does more harm than good, and is more likely to lead to overeating of the foods you’re trying to avoid, and to a poor relationship with food as a whole.

The bottom line: Some sugar is fine as part of a balanced diet that’s otherwise meeting your nutritional needs!

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