Fighting the sugar crave  

The Canadian Sugar Institute suggests that the average Canadian consumes 10-12 per cent of their calories from added sugars.

There's no denying that sweet things taste good, but cultivating a strong sweet tooth can lead to health problems over time. A diet high in sugar can lead to excessive weight gain and possibly other problems such as diabetes. But sugar isn't entirely bad. We can still lead a healthy lifestyle without having to completely banish it from our diets. From a nutritional perspective, sugar provides us with energy in the form of a simple carbohydrate. Sugar seems to provide an emotional outlet for us as well. Experts say that sugar cravings often occur when we are hungry, angry, lonely or even tired.

A healthy diet is a balanced diet — and it can include sugar. So here a few tips you can try to ensure your sweet tooth doesn't get the better of you.

• Don't ban sugar altogether. Some sugar, added sparingly to wholesome foods, such as a sprinkling of brown sugar on oatmeal, for example, can help satisfy your sweet craving.
• Cut down on the sugar when you bake. Sugar can often be reduced by up to one-third without changing the end product.
• Instead of a milkshake, create a fruit smoothie. Use plain yogurt swirled in the blender with a banana, your favourite fresh fruits, vanilla flavouring and ice.
• Serve fresh fruits for dessert. This way, you'll be getting an extra healthy serving of fruit.
• The next time you feel like having a sweet drink like pop, make your own. All you need is carbonated water and your choice of fruit juice.
• Avoid snacking. Eating a cookie here, and a little piece of cake there can add up throughout the day. Instead, decide on a reasonable sized sweet treat. It should be large enough to satisfy your craving, but small enough that it doesn't throw off your nutritional balance. For a healthy snack, use fresh pureed fruit to sweeten plain yogurt.

For more information about sugar visit :

• HealthyOntario

The Ontario government is improving people's quality of life and expanding access to health services by bringing dieticians into their doctor's offices, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced.

"Ontarians receive even better healthcare when doctors work more closely with other healthcare professionals, like dietitians,” said Smitherman. "By integrating dietitians into front-line healthcare teams, we can help people develop healthy eating behaviours and make a real difference to their health and quality of life.”

The Interdisciplinary Nutrition Services in Family Health Networks/Primary Care Model Sites initiative is a $734,600 collaboration between the Dietitians of Canada, the University of Guelph and McMaster University. Registered dietitians will work with three family health teams to promote healthy diets to all patients and specific treatment services to prevent and manage conditions like diabetes, low birth weight and high blood pressure.

The project is one of 45 new primary care initiatives being launched across the province. The $39.2 million in funding comes from the federal Primary Health Care Transition Fund, which helps provincial and territorial governments strengthen primary care services. Ontario's portion of this fund is $213 million.

"Our government is determined to help Ontarians change their eating habits,” said Smitherman at the Dietitians of Canada 2004 Ontario Regional Conference. "Poor diets are fueling an alarming rate of obesity and diabetes in Ontario.”

For more information about this project, check out our website. For more information about the conference, including a schedule of other speakers, such as Dr. Sheela Basrur, newly appointed Chief Medical Officer of Health and Assistant Deputy Minister for Ontario, visit the Dietitians of Canada's website.

© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2003  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimers  |   Last Modified :