Watch part of this video to understand the potential harm of high sugar diets.
Watch the video on salt in the diet.
Where does sugar come from?
Sugar comes from either sugar cane or sugar beet with the climate being the prime influence in which is grown.
In both cases, the juice is extracted from the sugar beet or cane and impurities are removed. It is then crystallised into white sugar, which is 99.95% sucrose. Sugar is identical whether it comes from beet or cane.
Sugar Cane
Sugar cane is a relative of ordinary grass and grows to five metres in height.
It is found in the tropical and semi-tropical climates of the world. This part of the world is hot and sunny all year and has heavy seasonal rainfall – conditions in which the plant thrives. Just under half of Britain’s sugar comes from this source.
Sugar comes from either sugar cane or sugar beet with the climate being the prime influence in which is grown.
In both cases, the juice is extracted from the sugar beet or cane and impurities are removed. It is then crystallised into white sugar, which is 99.95% sucrose. Sugar is identical whether it comes from beet or cane.
Sugar Cane
Sugar cane is a relative of ordinary grass and grows to five metres in height.
It is found in the tropical and semi-tropical climates of the world. This part of the world is hot and sunny all year and has heavy seasonal rainfall – conditions in which the plant thrives. Just under half of Britain’s sugar comes from this source.
Sugar & Salt: Hidden in Food
Sugars:
Choosing a diet low in sugars is important for people who have low calorie needs. Sugar come in many sources including white sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, maple syrup, honey, and molasses; these supply calories and little else nutritionally.
To avoid getting too many calories from sugars, try to limit your added sugars to 6 teaspoons a day if you eat about 1,600 calories, 12 teaspoons at 2,200 calories(, or 18 teaspoons at 2,800 calories. These amounts are intended to be averages over time. The patterns are illustrations of healthy proportions in the diet, not rigid prescriptions.
Sugars are also hidden in foods like sweets, baked beans and soft drinks, as well as sweetened desserts, in addition to the sugars you add at the table.
Salt:
Most people eat more than they need. The Ministry of Health recommends that sodium intake should not be more than 2,000 mg per day. Much of the sodium in people's diets comes from salt they add while cooking and at the table. (One teaspoon of salt provides about 2,000 mg of sodium.)
Go easy on salt and foods that are high in sodium, including cured meats, canned meats like luncheon meats, pickled vegetables, salted egg, canned soups, and seasoning like stock cube, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Use less or look for lower salt versions of these products eg. low-sodium soy sauce at your supermarket.
Top sources of added sugar and salt. (Follow the link of the green word.)
Bolognaise Sauce - To serve with pasta at home
Small Pack of minced beef
1 Onion
75 g Mushrooms
1 Pepper
1 tin tomatoes
1 Carrot
1 stock cube
At home:
Sugars:
Choosing a diet low in sugars is important for people who have low calorie needs. Sugar come in many sources including white sugar, brown sugar, icing sugar, maple syrup, honey, and molasses; these supply calories and little else nutritionally.
To avoid getting too many calories from sugars, try to limit your added sugars to 6 teaspoons a day if you eat about 1,600 calories, 12 teaspoons at 2,200 calories(, or 18 teaspoons at 2,800 calories. These amounts are intended to be averages over time. The patterns are illustrations of healthy proportions in the diet, not rigid prescriptions.
Sugars are also hidden in foods like sweets, baked beans and soft drinks, as well as sweetened desserts, in addition to the sugars you add at the table.
Salt:
Most people eat more than they need. The Ministry of Health recommends that sodium intake should not be more than 2,000 mg per day. Much of the sodium in people's diets comes from salt they add while cooking and at the table. (One teaspoon of salt provides about 2,000 mg of sodium.)
Go easy on salt and foods that are high in sodium, including cured meats, canned meats like luncheon meats, pickled vegetables, salted egg, canned soups, and seasoning like stock cube, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Use less or look for lower salt versions of these products eg. low-sodium soy sauce at your supermarket.
Top sources of added sugar and salt. (Follow the link of the green word.)
Bolognaise Sauce - To serve with pasta at home
Small Pack of minced beef
1 Onion
75 g Mushrooms
1 Pepper
1 tin tomatoes
1 Carrot
1 stock cube
- Get yourself a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Add a good lug of olive oil and gently add your onions and carrots.
- Next, increase the heat slightly, add the mince and stir until the meat is browned all over.
- Stir in your tin of plum/chopped tomatoes, (plum tomatoes are best as they contain less water, but either will turn out great!). Add your herbs, , stock cube..
- Give everything a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes as you go and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low-medium, put the lid on and leave it blipping away for about an hour and 15 minutes until the flavours develop into a wonderfully rich tomatoey sauce. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch.
- Decant into your container.
At home:
- Reheat the sauce. Add salt to a pan of boiling water and cook the spaghetti according the the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain it in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Give it all a good stir, coating the pasta in the lovely tomato sauce. Serve with a little grated parmesan and use the extra basil leaves to make a great little garnish. Beautiful!