Feed Scarborough Presents: All About Sugar + Low-Sugar Recipes

by Feed Scarborough Food Bank September 3, 2021

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What is sugar?

Sugar is carbohydrate used by your brain, central nervous system and muscles for energy and it is found in a variety of foods naturally. Sugar is also added to foods for taste, food preservation and culinary baking and cooking functionality (such as for texture, volume and colour).

There are 4 main types of sugars:

Naturally occurring sugars: Are usually described as glucose, fructose and sucrose (found in fruits and vegetables) and lactose (found in milk products).
Added sugars: Are commonly added during cooking, processing and baking such as sugar, brown sugar, honey, corn syrup and maple syrup.
Free sugars: Includes added sugars plus concentrated fruit juice.
Total sugars: Includes naturally occurring sugars plus added sugars and concentrated fruit juice.

Do I need to avoid foods with naturally occurring sugar?

No. Foods like fruit and milk are nutritious and are part of a healthy eating plan.

Should I limit the amount of added sugar I have?

Yes. Canada’s Food Guide recommends limiting food and drinks that are high in added sugar.

Is There a Recommended Daily Sugar Intake?

According to Health Canada a Daily Value of 20% of your total calories is the amount of total sugars that is consistent with a healthy eating pattern where sugars come mostly from fruit, vegetables and plain milk.

This level is not a recommendation to strive towards but can be used to compare the sugars content of different foods and understand the relative amount of sugars in the context of your day.
The World Health Organization also recommends that free sugars make up less than 10% of your total calories per day.

For a 2,000 calorie diet, 20% of your total calories is 100 grams of total sugars. If you eat more or less than 2,000 calories per day this means there is more or less room for total sugars in your day.

20% of 1,500 Calories = 75 g total sugars
20% of 2,000 Calories = 100 g total sugars
20% of 2,500 Calories = 125 g total sugars
20% of 3,000 Calories = 150 g total sugars
20 % of 3,500 Calories = 175 g total sugars

What foods have added sugar?

Sugar is added to food and drinks such as:

Desserts (pudding, ice cream, baked goods, chocolate)
Candy
Pop/Soda
Snacks (cereal bars, canned fruit in syrup)
Sweetened coffee drinks
Energy drinks
Fruit drinks
Chocolate milk
Some breakfast cereals and oatmeal
Some yogurts

Should I limit food and drinks with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

Yes. HFCS is an inexpensive sweetener similar to sugar. Food manufacturers use it because it makes food sweet, but is less expensive.

In Canada, HFCS can be called “glucose-fructose” in the ingredient list. Food and drinks high in HFCS are high in calories and may provide few nutrients. Some studies suggest that HFCS may lead to weight gain and other health concerns. More research is needed to better understand the health effects of HFCS.

Are you drinking too much sugar?

Many popular drinks have more than half of your recommended daily sugar intake.

Tips to reduce your sugar intake

1. Don’t drink your calories.

Avoid sugary drinks. Drink water instead, when you are thirsty. Low-fat, unsweetened milk is also a good way to quench thirst.

To keep things interesting, flavour your water with lemon, orange or lime slices, strawberries or fresh mint.
Avoid soft drinks (soda) and sports drinks. They are high in sugar and have no nutritional value (which is why they are called “empty calories”).
Avoid fruit juice, even when it is 100% fruit juice. Although fruit juice has some of the benefits of the fruit (vitamins, minerals), it has more sugar than the fruit and less fibre. Fruit juice should not be consumed as an alternative to fruits. Instead, you should strive to eat the majority of fruits in their natural form.
Stay away from fancy hot drinks with free sugars. Having hot tea or coffee is a great option (Optional: adding nutmeg and cinnamon for toppings for extra flavour rather than adding sugar).

2. Try whole foods. Whole foods are items that remain as close to their natural state as possible with little processing. Examples are: fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit, poultry and fish, beans, lentils or tofu, brown rice, whole wheat couscous, barley, whole grain breads, plain lower-fat milk, plain yogurt and cheeses.

3.Snack sensibly. Choose roasted nuts, lower-fat, lower-sodium cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, and plain yogurt with fresh fruit. Reduce the amount of baked goods, sweet desserts, candies, and chocolates you eat.

4. Eat lower-sugar cereals. Choose cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar and more than 4 grams of fibre per 1 cup (30 gram) serving.

5. Cook at home more often. Select recipes that are lower in sugar (check recipes below and within previous Feed Scarborough Blog Posts). Also, you can experiment with your favourite recipes by reducing the amount of added sugar to your recipes by one-quarter to one-third.

6.Read the Nutrition Facts table and the ingredient list on packaged foods.

Pay special attention to the serving size, total amount of sugar and read the ingredient list. The Nutrition Facts table will tell you the total amount of sugar in the product (from both naturally occurring and added sugars) and the ingredient list will let you know where the sugar is coming from.

Products with added sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, honey, evaporated cane juice, fruit puree, molasses, corn syrup, dextrose, concentrated fruit juice provide no nutritional benefits – minimize or remove these items from your shopping list.

Use the chart below to help you and your family with lower sugar food and drink choices:

Instead of...	Offer:
Pop/Soda, fruit punch and sport drinks	Water (try adding lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber slices or fresh/frozen berries
Sweetened milk and yogurt drinks	White milk or unflavoured soy, rice, almond, oat non-dairy beverages Homemade smoothies made with yogurt and fruit
Sugary cereals and flavoured oatmeal	Plain cereals such as bran flakes, oat “o” cereal, shredded wheat and plain oatmeal Add sliced banana or berries for natural sweetness
Flavoured yogurt, pudding and ice cream	Plain yogurt with whole or pureed fresh or frozen fruit for sweetness Homemade pudding with less sugar added See recipe below for layered yogurt cups
Cookies, packaged desserts, muffins and cereal bars	Homemade baked goods made with less sugar Try pureed fruit like applesauce, prunes or 100% fruit juice as a sweetener instead of sugar
Fruit gummies, chews or roll ups	Fruit with yogurt dip Dried fruit like apple, mango or pineapple slices with no added sugar
Canned fruit in syrup	Canned fruit in juice or water Fresh or frozen fruit

Understanding the New Food Label for Sugars in Canada

Revised Nutrition Facts Table

The new nutrition facts table on food labels (that is required by Canadian law by the food industry by 2022) will display a % Daily Value for total sugars based on 100 grams (20% of a 2,000 calorie diet).

Using menu modelling, Health Canada determined that when the Daily Value equals 100 grams total sugars, foods with greater than 15% Daily Value include many products that are high in added sugars.

The List of Ingredients

On the list of ingredients on the new food label you will also find new regulations that require all added sugars be grouped together (by weight) in brackets following the term “Sugars.” Functional substitutes that act as sweetening agents such as fruit juice concentrate are also grouped together under “Sugars.” This can help to make it easier to identify all the sources of sugars added to a food or beverage.

However note that the “Sugars” in the List of Ingredients represents added sugars whereas the “Sugars” in the Nutrition Facts table represents total sugars including those from naturally occurring sources such as fruits, vegetables and milk.

How do I read the Nutrition Facts Table for sugar?

The Nutrition Facts Table lists total sugars only. It does not show naturally occurring and added sugars separately.

Look under “Carbohydrates” to find the amount of sugar (in grams) in one serving of the food.
When choosing between foods, compare products and choose the one with less or no added sugar.

What should I look for in the ingredient list to spot added sugar?

Below are other names for added sugar. If these names are listed in the first few ingredients on a food package, the food is likely high in added sugar. Naturally occurring sugars are not listed in the ingredient list.

Agave Brown sugar Cane sugar or evaporated cane juice Concentrated fruit juice Corn syrup Dextrose or dextrin Fructose Galactose Glucose Glucose-fructose High fructose corn syrup

Honey Invert sugar Liquid sugar Maltose Maple syrup Molasses Nectar Raw sugar Sucrose Syrup White sugar

Hint: Ingredients ending in "ose" are likely sugars. Added sugars like honey and agave are no healthier than other types of added sugar.

What do the different sugar claims mean on food packages?

Nutrient content claim	What it means
“Sugar-free” or “Sugarless”	A specific amount of the food has less than 0.5 grams of sugar or less than 5 calories.
No added sugar	The food must not have any added sugar. Note: Natural sugars may be present in the food.
Reduced or lower in sugar	Compared to a similar product, the food must have 25% less sugar per serving.
Unsweetened	The food has no added sugars or artificial sweeteners.

Can eating sugar cause cavities?

Yes. To prevent cavities, eat sugary foods with meals and then brush your teeth. If you can’t brush your teeth right away, eat an apple or chew a piece of sugarless gum. The saliva you make when chewing gum helps to wash some of the sugar off your teeth. While apples fibrous content helps cleanse and cleans teeth by acting as a toothbrush and scrubbing away plaque from teeth, and removing other food debris. The acidity in apples also helps kill off bad bacteria that leads to bad breath.

How can I reduce the amount of sugar in recipes?

Reducing sugar is a healthy choice

Canadians consume added sugars mostly in processed and pre-packaged products, including cakes, cereals, yogurts and sweetened beverages. Too much sugar can add too many calories, which may lead to weight gain. Sugar can be part of healthy food choices in moderation. It is important to limit eating foods that have high amounts of sugar with little or no other nutritional value.

Reducing sugar doesn’t mean reducing flavour

There are many ways to limit sugar when you prepare foods. Below are easy and tasty sugar substitutions in your favourite baking recipes like cookies, quick breads and other desserts:

Experiment with reducing the amount of sugar the recipe calls for. Up to 1⁄3 cup of the sugar in most recipes can be taken out without a noticeable difference. You should not reduce all the sugar in a recipe, as it is still needed for taste and texture. Helpful Reminder: Do not reduce sugar in yeast breads as the sugar is needed to activate the yeast.
Use fruit such as raisins, dried apricots, dates or bananas instead of sugar, which naturally add sweetness.
Use vanilla, almond, maple, orange or lemon extracts for their natural sweet flavour. If a recipe calls for one of these extracts, try doubling the amount for added sweet taste.
Sweet-tasting, calorie-free spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger are a great way of adding flavour.
Substitute up to ¼ cup of granulated sugar in baking recipes with powdered milk. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use ¾ cup of sugar and ¼ cup powdered milk.
Use dried fruit puree, applesauce, or mashed bananas to replace some of the sugar and fat in cookies and muffins.
If a recipe calls for canned fruits, look for those packed in water instead of sugar.
If a recipe calls for jams or jellies, look for unsweetened, low-sugar varieties. Try jams or jellies sweetened with a no-calorie sweetener.
Instead of sugar, glaze cookies and breads with unsweetened jams mixed with water.
Replace sugar with the artificial sweetener, sucralose (Splenda). One cup (250mL) of Splenda is equal to 1 cup (250mL) of sugar. Only ½ cup (125mL) of brown sugar Splenda is equal to one cup (250mL) of brown sugar.
Helpful reminder: Other artificial sweeteners should not be used for baking.

Final word: Canada’s Food Guide recommends limiting food and drinks that are high in added sugar. Added sugars like honey and agave are no healthier than white sugar and brown sugar. Look at the Nutrition Facts Panel and the ingredient list to compare products and choose foods that will have less sugar.

Healthy Low-Sugar Recipes

Maple roasted vegetables

This simple and healthy recipe gives a new meaning to loving your veggies!

Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 45 min Servings: 10

Ingredients:

¼ cup (50mL) canola oil or extra virgin olive oil(or preferred household cooking oil)
¼ cup (50mL) maple syrup (can use honey as a substitute)
1 each of red and green peppers, cut into large cubes
½ head cauliflower, sliced 1 ½ inch (4cm) florets
1 sweet potato, cut into 1 ½ inch (4cm) cubes
1-2 onions (white,yellow or red), sliced
1 acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch (4cm) cubes
3 parsnips, peeled and cut lengthwise
2-4 carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise
2-4 fresh garlic cloves (may use 1 tablespoon of garlic powder as a substitute)
1 teaspoon (5mL) pepper and salt
1 tablespoon (15mL) of dried basil (or any other desired herbs/seasoning)

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 425˚F (220 ˚C).

2.In a large bowl, mix together canola oil, maple syrup, peppers, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, squash, parsnips, carrots, garlic, onions, and spices/seasonings. Place mixture on a baking pan lined with parchment paper (may use cooking spray instead of parchment paper).

3.Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are tender.

4.Serve and enjoy with your choice of protein and healthy carbs.

Nutritional Information per serving (1 of 10)

Calories: 160kcal Protein: 2 g Total fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 26 g Fibre: 5g Sugar: 12g Added sugars: 4 g Sodium: 40mg Potassium: 600 mg

Spiced Garbanzo bean pie with potato crust

This dish is not only hearty but packed with protein and flavour!

Prep: 20 mins Cook: 50 mins Servings: 12

Ingredients

Potato crust:

Canola oil/ cooking spray
2 lb (1kg) Yukon gold potatoes (substitute white/yellow potatoes), peeled and shredded
2 tablespoon (25mL) canola oil (or preferred household cooking oil)
½ teaspoon (2mL) ground turmeric

Garbanzo (chickpea filling):

2 tablespoon (25mL) canola oil (or preferred cooking oil)
1-2 teaspoon (5mL) cumin seeds (or ground cumin powder)
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper (or any colour of your choice), stem, seeds and ribs removed, cut into thin strips
2 tablespoon (25mL) ground coriander
2 cans (15oz/426 mL) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 cups (500mL, about one 15oz/426mL can) stewed tomatoes, including juice
Optional: 1 habanero chile (or any other similar chile), stem removed, finely chopped (do not discard seeds)
1-2 cups (500mL) shredded cheese
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup (50mL) finely chopped fresh cilantro/parsley leaves and tender stems (may swap for desired herbs)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Liberally spray two 9-inch (22-cm) pie pans (bottoms and sides) with canola oil cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, canola oil, and turmeric. Divide dough into 2 equal halves and press each half into one of the prepared pie pans/baking dish, making sure the bottom and sides get covered with potato shreds.

3. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

4. To make the filling, heat canola oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds/powder. If using cumin seeds allow them to sizzle, about 15 seconds.

5. Quickly add in the onion, bell pepper and stir-fry until the onion is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

6. Stir in ground coriander and additional spices/seasonings (optional), allowing them to cook and turn aromatic, about 15 seconds.

7. Then add in the garbanzo beans (chickpeas), tomatoes and chile. Stew mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until almost all liquid is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes.

8. Turn off heat and allow the pan's contents to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

9. Stir in cheese, eggs and cilantro (chosen herb of choice).

10. Divide and spread filling equally among two prepared potato crusts. Bake pies, uncovered, until centers are cooked and crusts are brown, about 45 minutes.

11. Allow pies to rest for about 10 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve with a side salad.

Nutritional information per serving (1 of 12)

Calories: 290kcal Protein: 13g Total fat: 10g Saturated fat: 2.5 g Cholesterol:45 mg Carbohydrates: 38g Fibre: 8g Sugars: 5 g Added sugars: 0 g Sodium: 250mg Potassium: 280 mg

Banana Muffins Two Ways

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Makes: 1 dozen

These muffins are a perfect snack and healthy treat that kids and adults alike, can enjoy on the go or with a glass of milk.

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour with added bran
¾ cup (175mL) of whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons (10 mL) of baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups (500 mL) mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon (5 mL) baking soda
½ cup (125 mL) low fat yogurt (plain if possible)
¼ cup (50 mL) of canola oil (or desired household oil)
1-2 large egg
½ cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
2 teaspoon (10 mL) Vanilla
¼ cup (50 mL) mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In another bowl, stir together bananas and baking soda; set aside.

4. In a third bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Stir into banana mixture. Pour over the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

5. Using a large ice cream scoop or mixing spoon, slowly scoop the batter into 6 paper lined or greased muffin cups.

6. Stir chocolate chips into remaining batter and scoop into the last 6 muffin cups.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched. Let muffins cool off, serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information per serving (1 muffin)

Calories: 203 kcal Protein: 4 g Fat: 6 g Carbohydrates: 34 g Fibre: 2 g Sodium: 182 mg Calcium: 59mg Iron: 1 mg

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Scarborough Food Security Initiative

2229 Kingston Road

Scarborough, ON M1N 1T8

For more information contact us at:

info@feedscarborough.ca

416-936-3975