Are you keeping track of your sugar intake?
Sugar is everywhere in our daily lives – both where we expect it and where we least suspect it. We know the body doesn’t need added sugar to function, yet we also know sugar tastes good. So how do you find the balance?
Text: Nomen Nescio / Photo: Shutterstock
Did you know…
Since the mid-1800s, our sugar consumption has risen from 4 kilos per person per year to around 43 kilos. Today, the average person in Sweden consumes every year:
- 15 kilos of candy
- 43.3 liters of soft drinks
- 9.7 liters of ice cream
What is sugar?
“Sugar” is a collective term for different types of carbohydrates, divided into:
Monosaccharides – glucose (grape sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar)
- Disaccharides – sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (malt sugar)
Where is sugar found?
Sugar can hide in unexpected places:
Juice and drinks – juice contains natural sugars and can have just as high levels as soda
- Färdigmat och såser – ketchup, dressingar och färdigrätter innehåller ofta tillsatt socker
- Bread and cereals – even darker breads can contain added sugar
- Cookies, candy, and snacks – obvious sugar traps, but even products marketed as “healthy” can be high in sugar
Sugar can also appear under many different names on ingredient lists. Watch out for glucose, fructose, syrup, maltodextrin, and dextrose.
How much is enough?
According to Livsmedelsverket (The Swedish Food Agency), added sugar should make up less than 10 percent of daily energy intake. That equals about 50–75 grams per day for an adult. Too much sugar can crowd out other nutritious foods in everyday life.
Do we need sugar?
The brain uses glucose as energy – but that doesn’t mean we need added sugar.
- The body can create glucose from starch in foods like potatoes, rice, and whole grains.
- Cutting down on added sugar can be easier than you think – small steps go a long way.
What’s our take at Lowcaly?
We believe sugar-free options should be just as obvious – and just as tasty – as the sugary ones. That’s why we offer drinks with no sugar, but with the same fresh flavour and added vitamins like D, C, and B vitamins.
Want a tasty drink without the sugar? Discover Lowcaly.
