Sweet temptation

So you don't think you eat that much sugar, right? You might want to take a closer look at those labels boasting 98 per cent fat-free or no sugar added! Surprisingly, the first bite tastes quite sweet to the palate. Checking the fine print reveals ingredients containing honey, sugar or artificial sweeteners like sucralose. Purpose defeated.

Walking into the store you'll find every flavour of mineral water, sodas full of sugar and 'high fibre/ natural' health bars that have as much sugar in them as half a packet of chocolate-coated biscuits or the pasta sauce on your linguini. Worse, the salad dressing accompanying your health-conscious lunch choice is not what you expected as it is full of hidden calories. Startling isn't it, especially when you thought sugar was only hiding in sweet foods like cakes and biscuits?

Pushed to consume sugars, we may not only be suffering from the oversized muffins we have for a mid-morning snack, but the worrying fact is that for the past few years sugar has slowly started creeping into the rest of our diet.

One of the main reasons behind the surreptitious rise of sugar is that in our regular diet we view fat as a public enemy.

Bombardments from TV, cookbooks, magazines and food products that promise to be low in fat or completely void make us revile fat, while forgetting that sugar is a culprit too. Most health professionals would of course argue that excess sugar is no less a cause of serious health problems than excess fat — and sometimes worse!

Sorry to be sweet

There has been an acknowledged link between sugar and the worsening obesity and diabetes epidemic. Excess sugar leads to an energy-filled diet in which we consume plenty of empty, unsatisfying calories in a short time. This is an obvious cause of obesity, which in turn is related to diabetes among other problems.

Excess sugars also lead to tooth decay, which is a worsening health issue with its own longterm damage.

But small amounts of sugar, like two pieces of chocolate or one small bar are not a problem as this can actually stimulate digestion. Eating too much will weaken the digestive system, with an overall retarding effect on metabolism while instigating skeletal problems like bone loss and arthritis by acidifying blood, destroying vitamin B and depriving your body of minerals.

But the lesson to learn here is that sugar is indeed addictive, and as we all know, sugar sells. But think long and hard before you make decisions detrimental to your health. As in any aspect of your life and more specifically your nutritional intake, moderation and balance are the key.

The writer is an International Student Correspondent for Notes, studying at the University of Sydney, Australia

We love ... Mints

We are crazy about the peppermint, spearmint and even summer-fruit flavoured mints in stores, markets and cafes across the country. Nothing could be easier than keeping an extra pack or two in your purse, bag or car. With many brands to choose from and sugar-free and whitening effects as an added bonus, you have no excuse to let dry morning breath or that bitter coffee after-taste ruin your day.

We recommend: Roast sicy chicken

5 lbs chicken
Marinade:
4 1/4 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/4 tbsp ketchup
1 1/4 packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 1/4 tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
5 small shallots, minced
1 1/4 tsp hot chilli paste

Step 1: In a large bowl, stir together marinade ingredients.
Step 2: Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry completely, removing excess fat and pricking skin with fork so marinade can penetrate.
Step 3: Add chicken to marinade and rub inside and out to coat, then cover and chill for between 12 to 24 hours.
Step 4: Preheat oven to 425F and line your roasting pan with aluminum foil while arranging chicken, breast side down, and pour marinade over it.
Step 5: Roast chicken in the middle of oven 30 minutes then turn chicken breast side up and baste with pan juices.
Step 6: Roast chicken, basting occasionally, 40 minutes or more, until cooked through and skin is golden-brown.
Step 7: Let chicken stand, loosely covered, 10 minutes before carving and skimming off fat juices.