Ten years ago, soft drink was available in 375 ml cans. The standard serving size for soft drink has also increased. In Australia, the consumption of soft drinks, which are sweetened with sugar, has increased by 30 per cent in 10 years. Sweetened drinks are heavily advertised, cheap and commonly available. Eating too much of any food, without doing enough exercise, will cause you to become overweight. Having too much sugar is not the only reason for obesity or being overweight, but it does add to the amount of kilojoules in food. ItвЂ™s easy to overindulge in foods, especially drinks, with high sugar content. Having too much sugarДЄlthough sugar provides less energy than fat, it can contribute to the вЂenergy densityвЂ™ (number of kilojoules) of foods and drinks. Therefore, fats in food contribute double the energy than the equivalent amounts provided by sugar. One gram of carbohydrate provides 16 kJ of energy. Sugar is a form of carbohydrate and it provides the same amount of energy or kilojoules (kJ) per gram as other forms of carbohydrates found in breads, rice, pasta and fruits. But there is general agreement that energy (kilojoules) above the bodyвЂ™s needs will be stored as fat. There has been a lot of debate about the link between high sugar intake and being overweight or obese. However, people who consume a lot of sugary food and drinks at the expense of more nutritious food choices, may be taking in a lot of вЂempty caloriesвЂ™.ДЄdding a little sugar to nutritious grain foods, such as wholegrain bread and cereals, may encourage people to eat more of these foods by making them more tasty. Experts define a moderate intake as about 10 per cent of the total energy intake per day. Sugar in moderationДЄ вЂmoderateвЂ™ intake of refined sugar can be an acceptable part of a healthy diet. They also prevent mould forming and act as a preservative. Sugars are popular in the processed food industry because they add taste, colour, bulk and thickness to food products.

Refined (or processed) sugar provides a quick, simple source of energy, but it doesnвЂ™t contain other nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Too much sugar in the diet can contribute to health problems like obesity and tooth decay. Sugars occur naturally in some foods, such as fruit and dairy products, and are also added to a wide variety of foods.Sugar can take many different forms, including white, raw or brown sugar, honey or corn syrup. The body breaks down carbohydrates into simple sugars such as glucose, that can be readily used in the body. Sugar is a term that includes all sweet carbohydrates, although the term most often is used to describe sucrose or table sugar, a вЂdouble sugarвЂ™. Like all carbohydrates, they provide a source of energy in our diet.

Does sugar make you hyper