Most people reading this will be completely unaware of how much sugar is in a "healthy" diet.
Spoiler alert, you may never enjoy your morning cereal with almond milk and a banana ... after reading this.
What is a healthy diet?
Are you eating what many people perceive as a healthy diet? Low fat? Low salt? Fruit smoothies? Medjool dates? Weight watchers dinner? Low-fat fruit yoghurt?
But have you ever calculated how much sugar is in a healthy diet? Take a look and see where all that sugar is hiding.
Sugar has never been in our food supply like it is in modern times.
Take a look at how much sugar is in a healthy diet. Forget the low fat foods, the cereals & don't drink your caloriesWhen the low-fat food pyramid was created, along came the high sugar and processed carbs.
Why?
Because when fat is removed from many foods, to ensure they continue to be palatable and flavoursome, other additives are pumped in such as flavours, sugars, and starches.
Manufacturers know when fat is removed, products lack taste and texture.
Don't believe me? Go and check out the regular version of products with their lite or fat-free versions.
You will discover the low-fat versions have higher sugar and carb values than their regular counterparts.
Why is cereal/granola a modern disaster?
Cereal is a modern phenomenon. Yes, our grandparents grew up on oats, but highly processed and high-sugar modern cereals, especially children's cereals, belong more in the dessert aisle than the breakfast aisle.
Read more: Why breakfast is the new dessert
After learning how much sugar is in a healthy diet, you will instinctively avoid those cereals that are full of dried fruit, which is nothing more than dried sugar.
On top of this, sugary drinks are around in ever increasing volumes and regularity. Once soda was a drink to be enjoyed at birthday parties, now it is an everyday occurrence. A 600ml (20 fl oz) bottle is the equivalent of a child's entire week of sugar following the daily recommended 3 tsp/day.
Nutrition Panels
So the message to you, is to read your nutrition labels, ensure you eat unprocessed food, and to be aware of what you are eating, snacking and drinking.
It's about awareness then it is your choice and an informed choice.
Take a look at this infographic showing a surprising amount of sugar hides in what many perceive as being 'healthy' choices.
I'm hoping no one would eat all of this in a day, but it's a bit of an eye-opener. None of these servings are supersized, no sweets, no soda, no obvious high sugar foods here.
Look out for hidden sugars and avoid them as often as you can.
Jane
Day 3 here - no sweets, pastries or bread so feeling proud of myself.
I plan to focus on these & avoiding root vegetables & fruit except berries. Also swapped to a long macchiato.
I hope I can make a dent in the weight loss.
Question Libby - I made the regular keto granola but without the coconut flakes. What does that do to the carb count? It tastes great.
Kathy
Day one of Sugar Free September, here we go:) Good luck everyone!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Awesome Kathy, good luck.
Lindsay
Fortunately I would not eat that amount of sugar in a week maybe month. With skipping breakfast weekdays and lunch weekends.Only drink black coffee and black tea. Gave up Sugar in drinks when it went from 3d to 6d a pound and I was about 13 probably before you were thought of Libby :-). Gave up milk when about 24. Very rarely do I have even hidden sugar except in a glucose tolerance test. Some fruit occasionally but try to keep to low sugar ones. Wine and Spirits would give me some but no mixes with sugar.
Paula
I love your websites and all your recipes. Have been on LCHF for 1 month and it is coming off slowly. Looking forward to September no sugar and see how this goes.
Aimee
Very excited about this Month! My birthday is at the end of this month and I'm hoping to be down 10-12 lbs by then. I've been doing LCHF and counting macros but I know I could do much better. Good luck to Everyone! Let's do this!
Colleen
I a so excited to do the sept IQS challenge I've been cutting out sugar and carbs for awhile now it still is hard some days ....
Kathy
And what is the "normal amount of sugar" adults / children should be getting daily?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 3 tsp per day for children and 6 for adults.
Sydney
I google chronometer.com and it comes up watches! Nothing about food,
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Take a look at cronometer.com Darn stupid auto correct has changed it to include an h which is indeed time and watches!
Lauren
Hey Libby! I love your website ? Quick question... I've been going low carb (keto) for nearly 3 weeks, 30-35g net carbs/day. In the past couple of days I've been struggling with gastroparesis and feeling very uncomfortable! My immediate solution is to raise my carbs to 50-60g so I can add in foods with high potassium (pumpkin, nut butter) as I feel it may be an electrolyte imbalance. Have you come across anything like this before?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Here are 2 good threads to read from others who experience GP. Here is another article worth reading.
thehomeschoolingdoctor
Hello and good day! I love the graphics! And so true. I have to work hard as my kids easily want to fall back to foods we "can" make that are just "better" images of what they used to eat. But they are not ideal for health, I know.---Dates used to be my nemesis. I LOVED dates. I'm not saying we should all eat tons of dates. I am well aware that each individual has a diet that suits him/her best, but I wanted to share that Bedouins in the Middle East and North Africa rely on dates as a staple food. In times of low food access, they rely on dates and camel milk. Isn't that fascinating?---But, yes, I know that I do best not relying on carbohydrates as the bulk of my diet. Maybe if I was walking uphill in the desert I could eat how I wanted!! LOL!----Beautiful work!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Ah Terry, I love your comments. I agree so many other cultures rely on carbs in different forms and look how active and healthy they are. The problem with our 'modern world' is that we rely on junk carbs and no activity. I'd love to be walking up that desert sand dune right now towards an oasis. It's blowing a gale outside and I've been on the water teaching adults to sail all day - brrrr. Send me some desert sunshine 🙂
Maryann
It was 91 degrees here yesterday. I can't wait for the fall weather!
Hélène
if you knew wat kids rly ate, the kids menu you listed wud last look terrific 🙁
Cathy
Sugar free September ....... Hoping to get the badge at the end. Will be avidly reading your blogs for motivation and inspiration. Keep it up
Cindy
I love your website. I'm excited to begin the 30 day no sugar challenge! Thank you!
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
Welcome Cindy, I cannot believe the amazing and supportive response I have had. Everyone is so excited about #sugarfreeseptember . It will be an interesting, challenging and rewarding month ahead. x
Maryann
It amazes me how many paleo recipes call for medjool dates. I avoid sugar like the plague! Some bloggers use coconut sugar, honey etc. thinking they are using a healthy product. Our bodies can't tell the difference between coconut sugar, white sugar or honey. Sugar is sugar and is to be avoided. I have been getting your emails for quite some time now and have made quite a few of your recipes. Keep up the good work. I am in the USA.
Michae
Hi, where do you get the sugar grams for the latte? Is it because it is soy? I have taken to having a short breve latte when I started LCHF (a latte made with espresso and half-and-half, sometimes in fact cream) no sugar etc. Is that still bad?
Libby www.ditchthecarbs.com
All values were found on chronometer.com and the exact foods are at the bottom of the infographic. Be careful of coffees made with syrups and flavours, and the large volume of milk are where the sugar is coming from.