Let’s curb sugar consumption among young people

Last week the problem of high sugar consumption among young people was addressed. This week we continue our selection of practical solutions to reduce your daily sugar intake.

Cutting down on sugar sometimes just means making a good trade-off. Here are 7 of them!

• Read also: Solutions to reduce sugar consumption among youth

Snack

• 104 ml (1 cup) sweetened applesauce (22 g sugar and 0.2 g protein)
• 2 cookies (9 g sugar and 2 g protein)
• 200 ml (1 can) orange juice (22 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 53 g Squirrels = 3.2 g

Winning option

• 104 ml (1 cup) unsweetened applesauce (10 g sugar and 0.2 g protein)
• 1 cookie (4.5 g sugar and 1 g protein)
• 250 ml (1 cup) 2% milk (13 g sugar and 9 g protein)

Sahara = 27.5 g Squirrels = 10.2 g

Advantages

25 g less sugar and 7 g extra protein

Snack

• 100g (1 container) vanilla yoghurt (9g sugar and 4g protein)
• 200 ml (1 can) orange juice (22 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 31 g Squirrels = 5 g

Winning option

• 100 g (1 container) plain Greek yogurt (3 g sugar and 9 g protein)
• 1 orange (12 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 15 g Squirrels = 10 g

Advantages

16 g sugar less and 5 g extra protein

Snack

• 1 slice (35 g) white bread (3 g sugar and 3 g protein)
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) chocolate spread (8 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 11 g Squirrels = 4g

Winning option

• 1 slice (35 g) whole grain bread (1 g sugar and 4 g protein)
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) almond butter (0.7 g sugar and 3.4 g protein)

Sahara = 1.7 g Squirrels = 7.4 g

Advantages

9 g less sugar and 3 g extra protein

Snack

• 250 ml (1 cup) chocolate almond drink (18 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 18 g Squirrels = 1 g

Winning option

• 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened soy drink (1 g sugar and 8 g protein)
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) cocoa (1 g protein)
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) maple syrup (4 g sugar)

Sahara = 5 g Squirrels = 9 g

Advantages

13 1g less sugar and 8g more protein

Snack

• 250 ml (1 cup) sweet cereal (14 g sugar and 2 g protein)
• 250 ml (1 cup) original almond drink (7 g sugar and 1 g protein)

Sahara = 21 g Squirrels = 3g

Winning option

• 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened cereal (1 g sugar and 4 g protein)
• 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened soy drink (1 g sugar and 8 g protein)
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) raisins (5.4 g sugar)

Sahara = 7.4 g Squirrels = 12 g

Advantages

14 g less sugar and 9 g extra protein

Snack

• 200 ml (1 can) orange juice (22 g sugar and 1 g protein)
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) sweets (21 g sugar)

Sahara = 43 g sugar Squirrels = 1 g

Winning option

• 1 apple (19 g sugar and 0.5 g protein)
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) almonds (1.6 g sugar and 7.6 g protein)

Sahara = 21 g sugar Squirrels = 8 g

Advantages

22 g less sugar and 7 g extra protein

Snack

• 125 ml (1/2 cup) strawberry ice cream (22 g sugar and 4 g protein)

Sahara = 22 g Squirrels = 4g

Winning option

• 100 g (1 container) plain Greek yogurt (3 g sugar and 9 g protein)
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) frozen strawberries (2 g sugar)

Sahara = 5 g Squirrels = 9 g

Advantages

17 g sugar less and 5 g extra protein

Does good nutrition really cost more? Let’s take the test!

Tender bar

sweets (cheap bars, brownies, Choco max, Leclerc) against. less sweet (oat bars, brownies, Go Pure, Leclerc)

Sweet option price

• Metro : US$2.17/100g
• IGA: US$2.28/100g
• Provigo: US$2.28/100g

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : US$2.45/100g
• IGA: US$2.57/100g
• Provigo: US$1.88/100g

Best price

Sweet option

Fruit compote

sweet (Original applesauce, Mott’s) against. unsweetened (unsweetened applesauce, Mott’s)

Sweet option price

• Metro : $0.56/100 ml
• IGA: $0.59/100 ml
• Provigo: —

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : $0.56/100 ml
• IGA: $0.59/100 ml
• Provigo: $0.61/100 ml

Best price

Equivalents

Flakes

sweet (Honey Nut Cheerios) against. less sweet (Cheerios 1 gram sugar per serving)

Sweet option price

• Metro : US$1.39/100g
• IGA: US$1.58/100g
• Provigo: US$1.39/100g

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : US$1.71/100g
• IGA: US$2.08/100g
• Provigo: US$1.71/100g

Best price

Sweet option

Yogurt

sweetened (2% vanilla Greek yogurt, Liberte) against. unsweetened (2% plain Greek yogurt, Liberte)

Sweet option price

• Metro : US$1.11/100g
• IGA: US$1.11/100g
• Provigo: US$1.07/100g

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : US$1.11/100g
• IGA: US$1.11/100g
• Provigo: US$1.07/100g

Best price

Equivalents

Plant drink

sweet (Original soy drink, Natura) against. unsweetened (Unsweetened soy drink, Natura)

Sweet option price

• Metro : $0.26/100 ml
• IGA: $0.28/100 ml
• Provigo: $0.25/100 ml

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : $0.26/100 ml
• IGA: $0.28/100 ml
• Provigo: $0.25/100 ml

Best price

Equivalents

Milk

regular (1% milk, Quebec) against. with chocolate (1% chocolate milk, Québon)

Sweet option price

• Metro : $0.34/100 ml
• IGA: $0.32/100 ml
• Provigo: $0.33/100 ml

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : $0.26/100 ml
• IGA: $0.26/100 ml
• Provigo: $0.20/100 ml

Best price

Unsweetened option

Peanut butter

sweet (creamy peanut butter, craft) against. unsweetened (all-natural peanut butter, Kraft)

Sweet option price

• Metro : $0.90/100 g
• IGA: $0.80/100 g
• Provigo: $0.80/100 g

Less price or unsweetened option

• Metro : US$1.20/100g
• IGA: US$1.07/100g
• Provigo: US$1.07/100g

Best price

Sweet option

Within one brand

• Prices are often the same for sweet and less sweet versions of yogurt, plant-based drinks and fruit compotes.
• Prices for sweet options may be better for some peanut butters, cereals and granola bars. However, the sizes of savory options were sometimes smaller (750g vs. 1kg for peanut butter and 350g vs. 430g for cereal), which may also influence price.
• The price of milk is lower than the price of chocolate milk.

The best way to save money is to make granola bars, muffins, compotes and cookies at home. Spending less also allows you to save big over the course of the year.

►For more nutrition tips, see www.isabellehuot.com