Jamie Oliver
I know I should eat less sugar, but 5 grams a day is a scary target for me. I'm miserable if I don't get my daily fix! Any suggestions? @wheatway
I checked in with my nutrition team on this one, and rather than the 5 grams you suggest, the latest target actually means that our total daily intake of free (or added) sugars should be no more than 5 per cent of our total daily energy intake. So, this means that children aged 11 years and upwards and adults should have no more than 30 grams, or 7 teaspoons, per day. Having said that, any changes that you make, however small, are positive. For most people, excess sugar comes from processed foods, such as sugary sweets, snacks and drinks, so keeping those for special occasions or as a weekend treat is definitely advisable. Not only will you save money, it will have a positive impact on your health. There's a lot of sugar in alcohol, so again, saving this for weekends or special occasions is how I do it. But remember, this target is for added sugars and doesn't include natural sugars found in milk, fruit and veg, so it's fine to pack your diet with these.
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