Since the year 2002, the WHO has recommended that the amount of daily sugar intake for each individual should be comprised of less than 10% of the total daily energy intake. 12 years have gone by, and the recommendation has been tightened to a mere 5% or less – meaning each adult male’s daily intake is capped at around 25 grams of sugar (approximately 5 teaspoons); each adult female’s daily intake will be capped at around 19 grams of sugar (approximately 4 teaspoons).
This is the first time in 12 years WHO has taken up “Campaign Less-Sugar”. This can be due to an increasing amount of data showing that excessive intake of sugar is the culprit of obesity, of which it will even increase the risk of a person suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The table below is shown to increase our awareness in our daily sugar intake, which could easily become excessive.
Hong Kong Drinks/Food – The Sugary Traps
As shown from above, we do not have many “Sugary Quotas”. Since sugar is all over the place, there are sugary traps everywhere, whether it is from the seasonings used while cooking, or well hidden within packaged food items, or even within nutritious products. As such, it is essential to be aware of the sugar contents within each nutritious products while making a purchase, so that it will not cause an unnecessary burden and end up doing yourself more harm than good!
Source:
Centre of Food Safety http://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_n_01_11.html