Do You Know How Much Sugar Your Family Is Consuming?

A couple times throughout the week, I find myself stopping at the local convenience store for a soda. I sometimes get a craving for caffeine and a nice cold soda on these hot days have been a nice treat. What is not so nice is the amount of sugar that is added to a can or bottle of soda.

I was recently given the opportunity to attend and participate in an online webinar to learn some important information about High Fructose Corn Syrup. At this webinar, we also discussed some of the popular artificial sweeteners that some of us families use to make our drinks and food taste sweeter. I was really interested in this particular webinar because I have 4 children and want to know a little more about the sugar subject since it seems like it is becoming quite a debate.

Okay, I am a mom that looks at ingredients. I mostly look at the carbs, calories and amount of sodium because those are BAD for me.  I also will sometimes look at the first few ingredients as I have always heard that the order of ingredients is determined by the amount. For instance the first ingredient listed is the ingredient you are going to find the most in the product. So if I pick up something and see sugar in the first few ingredients, I know it isn’t the healthy option. I honestly don’t know a whole lot about the different types of sugar.  I hadn’t even realized before this webinar all the different types of “sugar” that are available.

For those that are wondering what exactly High Fructose Corn Syrup is, think of it as sugar that comes from corn. Did you know just recently I ate white corn raw. How delicious it was and boy did is taste like sugar. I am HOOKED. Anyhow, don’t get confused with the different sugars like I did. There is sugar that comes from corn as table sugar that you are probably most familiar with comes from sugar canes or sugar beets.

I wanted to share with you a question that I had prepared for this corn refiners webinar and the answer I received:

My Question: With knowing now how much sugar is in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, what type of alternative would you suggest to those of us with kids that love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

Answer: I like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches myself and to reduce the sugar content I use apple butter or reduce sugar jams which are available in most grocery stores. Banana can replace jam and frozen fruits (unsweetened), such as strawberries, can be mashed into a sauce and thickened with some pectin then add some splenda for a sugar free spread. With that said however, I want to say that the amount of sugar in jams or jellies may not be an excessive amount in the grand scheme of a child’s diet. I would ask the question: are other added sugars in the diet? Because if sugar is being moderated in the first place, a tablespoon of jam or jelly shouldn’t be considered “too much.” Keep in mind that a teaspoon of jam is about 15 calories (a tablespoon about 45 calories)

So are you interested in learning more about sugar? I am one that allows sugar at my house, but with limits. I do realize that I need to limit my child’s daily sugar intake, but how much is too much. I am glad I was able to take part in such a neat opportunity because it made me realize that maybe we consume a little too much sugar. Take a few minutes and look through the staple items in your pantry and see how much sugar is in all the products you use. I was amazed! For me, I like to use a variety of sweeteners and need to just watch to make sure we are not over doing it unless really needed. You know some days this mom has to have her chocolate or cheesecake!

The Corn Refiners Association has launched a campaign to educate the public about HFCS and to dispel common sugar myths that stem from the misperception that HFCS is high in fructose.To see the sugar content of certain foods, visit: https://www.collectivewizdom.com.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the Corn Refiners Association. I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.