Sugar - Friend or foe?

We’ve all seen the rise of low-fat alternatives hitting the supermarket shelves, in fact, it’s really old news; however, now it’s sugar’s turn…low-carb or low-sugar food products are everywhere!

So, what does it all mean? Is sugar our friend or foe?

There are so many mixed messages out there and it can really be confusing to know what’s right, wrong, good, bad (trust us…we don’t get it right all the time either!). We’d love to help others understand a bit more about the foods they’re eating and to generally, just be aware that having a balanced diet is key.

Sugar (or it’s science’y name, glucose) is essential for our mind and body. People forget that our brain relies on it to function properly! However, where most of us get it wrong is consuming refined sugars found in things like chocolate, fizzy drinks and biscuits (all the naughty treats!) out of habit or boredom.

However, there are some times when eating sugary foods is worthwhile (YAY!!! Pass the chocolate…oh wait). As sugar provides energy, it plays an essential role in fuelling any physical activity you are doing.  Consuming a small, sugary snack before exercise provides a speedy source of energy to help you perform at your best, but it needs to be the right sort….

Great pre-workout snacks include:
– Piece of fruit
– Slice of white bread with jam
– Fruit smoothie
– Bounce Ball (yes, we know, we would say that!)

To support a healthy diet, try to reduce your intake of added sugars and focus on food and snacks which are nutritionally balanced. Here are some simple, easy swaps to reduce the amount of added sugar in your day-to-day diet:

– Swap a chocolate bar for a Bounce Cocoa Peanut
– Swap to sparkling water instead of fizzy drinks
– Swap to plain Greek yoghurt instead of flavoured yoghurts
– Swap to porridge instead of cocoa pops

We’d love to hear how you get on and if you have any simple tips or tricks for using sugar in your diet, in the right way then send them in!