The sugar story
There is often concern about the healthiness of snack foods with added sugar. However, the overall nutrient density and benefits of the snack needs to be considered. For example, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) state the following:
- Added sugars are best used to increase the palatability of nutrient dense foods.
- Plain low-fat and fat-free milk and yogurt, as well as flavoured versions containing moderate amounts of sugar, can help Americans get the recommended servings of dairy per day, while staying within daily calorie limits to help maintain a healthy weight.
A recent paper by the American Academy of Pediatrics (47) suggested that nutritional value, portion size and overall diet quality are more effective methods of improving eating habits in children than focussing on elimination of added sugars. A little bit of sugar can help children to enjoy nutrient-rich food and drinks.
A NHANES analysis of added sugars in children’s diets found that flavoured yogurt contributes about 1% of added sugars to the diets of adults. In comparison, soft drinks contributed 28.1%. (48)
In general, sugar intakes need to be limited for good health. But, sugar makes food tasty! Small amounts as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle are perfectly acceptable. What’s important here is the matrix within which sugar is present: sugar in cakes and biscuits typically brings fewer nutrients than sugar in a pure fruit compote, or fruit yogurts.
In addition, in a recent study, El Khoury et al found that a strawberry yogurt with the same calories had a better palatability than plain yogurt and that this did not affect post-prandial blood glucose concentration and subsequent energy intake (49).