UK battles obesity crisis due to "ancestral desire" for sweet products

The UK is struggling with an obesity crisis.

The most recent figures show that almost one in three Britons is overweight and that experts warn that obesity now rivals smoking as the leading cause of cancer, it is clear that we must do something to win our battle against the bulge.

But could new research explain why we continue to gain weight?

The results of the study, which showed that nine out of 10 people who lose weight take it back once they stop dieting, suggest that our problem could be the sweet tooth we inherited from our ancestors.

Humans are born with a preference for sweet flavors, which is reinforced by the fact that bad milk is also naturally sweet.

It made sense when we were hunter-gatherers – a bitter taste would warn us that berries or plants were probably poisonous, and that the extra calories provided by high-energy sugary foods improved our chances of survival.

But now, temptation surrounds us and we can get food at home with just a few clicks. This taste for sweet flavors endangers our health and survival.

That's why health guardians have identified sugar as one of the main culprits and urge consumers to reduce their consumption.

There is no doubt that we eat too much sweets – it is estimated that sugar contains 222% more calories than it should.

It is therefore not surprising that research shows that seven out of ten adults are unaware of the latest guidelines and that millions of them are blind to the sugar in many foods of everyday life.

There is also a lot of confusion as to what really counts as sugar.

We used to talk about the dangers of "added sugar", such as sugar incorporated into tea or coffee or sprinkled on a bowl of cereals, but experts now use the term "free sugars" to describe this. that we should avoid.

What are free sugars?

Free sugars are defined as all forms of added sugars, but they are often disguised.

Other names to look for on labels include sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, maltose, starch hydrolysates, glucose syrup, corn syrup, high fructose syrup , monosaccharides and disaccharides.

The term also includes natural sugars in honey, molbades and syrups, such as date and agave syrups, often recommended by wellness influencers.

More controversially, free sugars also include natural sugars from certain processed foods, such as fruit and vegetable purees, including hummus, which are absorbed so quickly that they behave in the same way as the added sugar.

How much should you eat?

Whatever name you use, the advice is the same. Not more than five percent of our daily caloric intake – about seven teaspoons a day – should come from sugar, which is half the previously recommended limit.

The National Food and Nutrition Survey, an official snapshot of the country's eating habits, confirms that adults consume more than twice the calories from sugar and that adolescents consume nearly three times the recommended amount.

However, a study of the Hermesetas brand of sweeteners found that 95% of consumers did not know the recommendation of seven teaspoons and almost a quarter thought it was acceptable to eat at least 10 teaspoons a day.

He also revealed some of the sugar traps that sabotage our efforts to lose weight.

Natural is not always better

Honey is considered healthier than sugar – and the survey found that nearly a quarter of those surveyed used it as a sugar substitute.

But Dr. Emma Derbyshire, a public health nutritionist, said, "While honey may contain some additional antioxidants, it is very similar to white sugar in terms of calories and impact on blood sugar.

"The same is true for date, agave and other syrups, as well as for palm and coconut sugar, which are often presented as healthier choices by wellness bloggers and influencers. social media.

These syrups and sugars can have additional nutritional benefits, but they remain essentially sugar. "

Are we addicted to sugar?

These are treats we miss the most when we go on a diet.

The survey reveals that one-third of people on the diet crave sweetness when they try to lose weight: twice as many people who are tempted by comfort foods and more than double those who desire foods high in fat or alcohol.

Dr. Derbyshire said, "Sugar ignites the same dopamine receptors that respond to alcohol and addictive drugs, so it's not surprising that so many people are hooked."

For the account

Two out of three people worry about their sugar intake, and the same number think that reducing sugar is important for weight loss – but the same number does not check the amount of money used in food such as breakfast cereals and ready meals, known sources of added sugar.

Official data confirm that 9% of the average adult's free sugar consumption comes from breakfast cereals only.

And while two out of five dieters are striving to burn extra calories, we do not know at all how much effort is needed.

One in five think that it does not take more than 15 minutes to walk from an energy bar, but the average woman should pound the sidewalks for nearly an hour to compensate for them. calories consumed.

Sweet swaps

That said, reducing calories and increasing activity is still considered the most effective way to lose weight, and small, long-term changes are considered the most effective in the long run.

A recent review of the evidence confirmed that the sugar exchange for low calorie sweeteners reduced average daily caloric intake by 10% and resulted in a weight loss of almost 1/2 pound per week, or about 3% of the average caloric intake. body weight in 12 weeks.

Click here for recipe ideas.

Are sweeteners safe?

However, many consumers are worried about the safety of low calorie sweeteners.

Dr. Derbyshire said, "There are almost as many myths and misinformation around sweeteners as so-called healthy substitutes such as honey, coconut sugar or date syrup."

All low-calorie sweeteners sold in the UK must pbad the stringent safety badessments set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

And EFSA felt that sweeteners are so sure that the acceptable daily intake is much higher than anyone else could consume.

The NHS confirms their safety and states: "Like sugar, sweeteners have a sweet taste, but what sets them apart is that, after their consumption, they do not increase blood sugar."

There have also been many disturbing stories about claims that sweeteners are at the root of cancer, but Cancer Research UK and the US National Cancer Institute have both debunked this myth.

Cancer Research UK states, "Extensive studies of people have now clearly demonstrated that artificial sweeteners are safe."