Magazine_Autumn2021_RND2_10.14.21.indd

Sugar is a necessity for the body, as well as for brain development and energy. Simply put, we can’t survive without it. Recently, nutritional food labels started listing the total sugars and added sugars to keep consumers more informed about the foods they are choosing to eat. There are some food products and beverages that are not required to have nutrition labels, such as wine. Total sugars on the nutrition facts label include the naturally occurring sugars as well as the added sugars. For example, if you look at a nutrition label for yogurt, there will be some natural sugars due to the naturally occurring lactose from the milk and some added sugars listed. There are over 50 names for sugar, so it can be tricky to spot those added sugars on the label. Some common names for added sugars are brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, molasses, monk fruit and syrup. Words that end in -ose on the food label suchas dextrose, sucrose, fructose, and lactose also mean sugar. The added sugars listed on the nutrition label are those you want to limit in your diet. Added sugars are not needed by the body. They contribute empty calories, contain zero nutrients and should be consumed in moderation. These added sugars are what gives sugars a bad rap. Too much sugar can lead to cavities, weight gain, and other chronic health issues. When we talk about moderation, it can mean many things to many different people. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that less than 10% of your daily calorie intake should be from added sugars. For example, if you are consuming 2000 calories per day, only 200 of those calories should be from added sugars. This is a great guideline for consuming sugar in moderation. Just like our bodies need sugar, it is also necessary for the wine making process. Grapes have natural sugars called glucose and fructose. These natural sugars are needed in the fermentation process of wine making. In the fermentation process of wine making, yeast is added to the grape juice. Yeast feeds off the natural sugars in grape juice and converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating wine. Continued on next page. " ...less than 10% of your daily calorie intake should be from added sugars. " 11 Featured Articles