How much sugar is too much?

By / February 26th, 2018 / There are currently 0 comments

According to Public Health England, Children in England are eating nearly three times the recommended amount of sugar. Most of us know that this is bad for their health. Surprisingly, half the sugar they consume comes from snacks and sugary drinks. But there are lots of healthy alternatives to choose from. Our pharmacists also often get asked for advice on reducing sugar intake by adults who use our pharmacies.

Change 4 life

The Change 4 life website has more information. You can also sign up to get vouchers towards healthier snacks. There are recipe ideas, that include ideas for lunch boxes, snacks, main meals and drinks, written with children in mind. You also can read articles containing facts about foods.

How much is too much?

This depends on age. Children age 4-6 years should have no more than 19g of added sugar, that’s the same as 5 cubes. For children 7-10 years no more than 24g or 6 cubes and for those over 11 years old no more than 30g or 7 cubes.

When we say added sugar this means sugar that has been added to food or drink to sweeten it. It doesn’t just mean sugar that you add to tea – it also includes honey, syrups and fruit juice nectars.

 

School height and weight checks

Has your child been measured at school? The results can be surprising, but they’re just a snapshot of your child’s weight and it’s not the end of the world. The change4life website has information and advice whether your child is overweight, a healthy weight or under weight, so you can get them back to a healthy weight with a few simple changes to help them eat more healthily and be more active.

Adults intake

Our pharmacists often get asked for advice by adults who are trying to reduce their sugar intake. Did you know that the number of people with diabetes in Ilkeston and Long Eaton is worse than the average for England? The Diabetes UK has a recipe database. These recipes are suitable for all of the family and written with diabetes in mind. This means that they are healthy and low in sugar.

 

Healthy living pharmacy

Comments are closed here.