While many people are aware of the benefits of low-carb eating for weight loss – diligently avoiding potatoes, white bread and pasta – plenty continue to consume the worst carbohydrate of all without realising, and then wonder why they’re not getting anywhere.
And the culprit is sugar.
“Following a low-carbohydrate eating plan without factoring in added sugar in packaged foods is a sure way to veer off course,” says Ms Colette Heimowitz, Vice President of Nutrition and Education at Atkins Nutritionals, “but with sugar a hidden ingredient in many common foods people don’t think of as ‘high carb’, it’s easy to see where the confusion creeps in. Foods sold as ‘low fat’ are often the worst offenders, with sugar added to replace the fat that has been removed.”
“By opting for a low-carb lifestyle without following a scientifically-formulated eating plan, people often end up consuming more carbohydrates than intended not adhering to any plan at all – and the side effects can be serious, and not just on the scales,” she added.
“Consuming excessive sugar may cause headaches, chronic tiredness, ‘brain fog’, irritability, bloating and weight gain, and long term consumption of excessive sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. It also ruins our ability to determine when we’re satiated, driving us to eat more often than necessary, and long after we’re actually full.”
Popular foods that are high in carbohydrates as a direct result of their sugar content (both natural and added) include:
|
Fruit juice & concentrate |
600mL Orange Juice 600mL Apple Juice 100mL Fruit Juice concentrate |
32.4g of sugar and 32.4g of carbs 51.6g of sugar and 51.6g carbs 25g of sugar and 25g of carbs |
|
Sauces |
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce 1 Tbsp Plum sauce 1 Tbsp Hoi Sin sauce 1 Tbsp Sweet and Sour sauce |
10g (2 tsps) of sugar and 11g of carbs 12g of sugar and 14g of carbs 8.3g of sugar and 9.3g of carbs 9.45g of sugar and 11.4g of carbs |
|
Tinned fruit and vegetables |
1 cup tinned Fruit Salad in syrup 1 cup tinned Beetroot in liquid 1 cup tinned Corn in liquid |
46g of sugar and 48g of carbs 16g of sugar and 17.56g of carbs 7.24g of sugar and 39.44g of carbs |
|
Soft drinks |
600ml regular soft drink |
16 teaspoons of sugar up to 80g! |
|
Flavoured milk |
600mL Chocolate flavoured milk 600mL Iced Coffee flavoured milk 600mL Strawberry flavoured milk |
60.36g of sugar and 65.46g of carbs 57.6g of sugar and 59.4g of carbs 57.6g of sugar and 58.2g of carbs |
|
Breakfast cereal |
50g Muesli with dried fruit 1 cup Just Right 1 cup Nutri Grain 1 cup frosted corn flakes |
14.7g of sugar and 28.3g of carbs 14g of sugar and 32g of carbs 9.6g of sugar and 20.8g of carbs 15.2g of sugar and 36.12g of carbs |
|
Muesli Bars |
30g Choc Chip muesli bar 30g Yoghurt topped muesli bar |
5.85g of sugar and 18.45g of carbs 9g of sugar and 19g of carbs |
There’s a rapidly growing body of scientific evidence highlighting the negative health consequences of caving to our sugar cravings, with a recent analysis revealing that for every excess 150 calories of sugar there’s an 11-fold increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared to obtaining the same 150 calories from fat or protein sources – regardless of weight of physical activity.
“In fact, a recently published nutrition review found that restricting dietary carbohydrates is the single most effective means to reduce the features of metabolic syndrome, and should be the first step in managing diabetes, proving that low-carb eating has benefits that go way beyond the waistline,” advised Ms Heimowitz.
“A carefully designed low-carb eating program, such as Atkins, which advocates eating healthy fats, adequate protein, plenty of colourful high fibre vegetables and low-sugar fruits, is a sensible way to cut back on sugar consumption – and cravings – and to help your body burn fat (instead of carbohydrates) for fuel, boost your energy and improve overall health,” explained Ms Heimowitz.
As for those times when you really feel the need for a sweet fix, Atkins’ range of bars and shakes – available in supermarket health food aisles and pharmacies – deliver the taste of your favourite treats, without the added sugar.
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