Self Assessment of Arthritis Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases with inflammation in one or more joints. There are more than 100 types, of which osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gouty arthritis are the most common arthritis. It is important to determine the type of arthritis as the first step of treatment due to the factors and symptoms being different. According to statistics, the prevalence of osteoarthritis in Malaysia accounts for 10-20% of the elderly population, and adults over the age of 40, mostly women, generally suffer from osteoarthritis. Nowadays, arthritis is not limited to the elderly but develops in younger people including children due to factors such as bad living habits, eating habits, obesity, and other factors. Early treatment of arthritis can prevent future deformity and disability, and will likely help reduce collateral damage, such as depression, osteoporosis, and atherosclerosis, which will cause economic and spiritual burdens to patients and families. Arthritis self-assessment: 1. When you wake up, do you ever feel a stiff neck, restricted movement, or dizziness? — cervical spine 2. Do you feel heavy in your shoulders or sore in your arms when carrying heavy objects over 3 kg? - shoulder joint, elbow joint 3. Do you feel tingling in your arms when you reach out to touch the distance? - Elbow joint, wrist joint 4. When you bend over, do you feel stretching, or pain in the back? - lumbar spine 5. After squatting, is it difficult to stand up, the hips are sore, and the legs are weak? --hip joint 6. When going up and down the stairs, can you hear the friction of joints, or even feel shaking from side to side? - knee joint 7. When trotting or walking fast, do you feel a sudden tingling in your ankle? --ankle joint Prevention way of arthritis: Avoid strenuous and long-term exercise. Strenuous exercise or long-term walking cause the symptoms of knee arthritis will be aggravated. If there is a joint injury problem, stop exercising immediately and seek medical treatment in time without delay to avoid further deterioration of the condition. Controlling the weight within the healthy range can reduce the load on the knee joint and prevent the disease from aggravating. Do not stand for a long time, and do not squat for a long time. When carrying heavy objects, do it separately, and do not carry too much weight in one breath. Reduce sports time on running and jumping, going up and down stairs and mountain climbing, and change to swimming or cycling. A balanced and diversified diet is important to prevent the occurrence of some arthritis. For example, reducing the intake of purine-rich foods can effectively prevent gouty arthritis. Drink a cup of Stolle ImmNuPlus every day. All-natural and healthy immune nutrition milk, rich in milk nutrition and patented active Immunonutrient (such as specific antibodies IgG and IgA, anti-inflammatory factors, anti-arteriosclerosis factors, and macrophage activating factors), can directly support the immune system, activate Immunity, achieve immune balance, relieve redness, swelling, pain, fever and other inflammatory symptoms.
more


Let's Differentiate the Types of Arthritis Arthritis is an inflammation or swelling affecting one or more joints. It describes more than 100 conditions that involve inflammation and damage in the joints, the tissues around the joint, and other connective tissues. Specific symptoms vary depending on the type of arthritis, but usually, joint pain, stiffness, and swelling are the most common symptoms of arthritis. The most common types include: Osteoarthritis (OA) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Gout Ankylosing spondylitis Osteoarthritis (OA) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Gout Ankylosing spondylitis Overview Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that can affect the many tissues of the joint. It is the most common type of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells for an unknown reason, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body Gout develops in some people who have high levels of uric acid from the breakdown of purines. The high uric acid form needle-like crystals that can lodge in joints, causing sudden, severe pain and swelling. Ankylosing spondylitis is both an autoimmune type of arthritis and a chronic (long-term) inflammatory disease that affects the joints of the spine, especially the sacroiliac joints at the base of the spine. Risk Factor Age History of Injury Obesity Overuse of the joint Women have a higher risk to develop OA than men. Weak muscle Genetic Genetic Women have a higher risk to develop RA as compared to men. Smoking Obesity Men are three times more likely than women to develop gout. Genetic Health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, or psoriasis Postmenopausal woman High purine diet Men are more likely to develop Family inheritance Common in young people under the age of 35 Sign and symptoms Pain or aching in a joint during activity, after long activity or at the end of the day. Joint stiffness usually occurs first thing in the morning or after resting. Clicking or popping sound when a joint bends. Swelling around a joint. Muscle weakness around the joint. Tender, warm, swollen joints Joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings and after inactivity Fatigue, fever and loss of appetite Sudden, intense joint pain. Lingering discomfort. Inflammation and redness Limited range of motion Swelling lower back pain Joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings Limited mobility of the spine Loss appetite, weight loss, fatigue Commonly affected body part hands, hips, and knees. joints in the hands, wrists, and knees. Fingers and toe (especially big toe) the joint between the base of the spine and the pelvis Health effect - Obesity, more likely to develop high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. - Diabetes - Heart Disease - Fall cause joints to deform and shift out of place. affect different parts of the body including the eye, heart, skin, and lung which leads to myocarditis and pneumonitis. lead to weight gain and more likely to develop high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. cause joints to deform and shift out of place. permanent joint damage Inflammation of the eye (uveitis) Compression fractures. Heart disease Stolle ImmNuPlus is a natural immune milk product that remains the natural nutrient from milk and is rich in immunonutrient (antibodies, anti-inflammatory factors and lactoferrin, etc.) help to balance your immune system. Studies have shown that drinking ImmNuPlus, Stolle Immune Milk every day helps to activate immunity, keeping your immune system at a well-balanced state and reducing inflammation caused by diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Besides, studies showed that milk may also stimulate the excretion of uric acid by the kidneys, and skimmed milk may help reduce painful gout flare-ups. It is recommended to take 200ml low-fat or skimmed milk daily to reduce the risk of gout and obtain nutrients such as calcium and protein. Grab yourself a glass of ImmNuPlus today to improve your health condition and relieve your pain from arthritis!
more
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Malaysia for years. The rising prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, and the unhealthy lifestyles practiced significantly increase the risk of heart disease. Ideal cardiovascular health was associated with a reduced risk of mortality, including all-cause, cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer deaths. In 2010, the American Heart Association proposed 7 ideal cardiovascular health indicators, including 4 health behavior indicators (smoking, body mass index, physical activity, diet) and 3 physiological and biochemical indicators (blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting blood sugar). Let's see if you meet these indicators! Indicator Standard Mark Lifestyle Smoking Smoking 0 Quit smoking <10 years 1 never smoke, or quit smoking >10 years 2 Physical activity Not doing any physical activity 0 Medium to Vigorous exercise >80mins every week 1 Medium to Vigorous exercise 1~80 mins every week 2 Diet Following Healthy diet suggestions at least 2 types or daily salt intake between 6-12g 0 Following Healthy diet suggestions at least 2 types or daily salt intake between 6-12g 1 Following Healthy diet suggestions at least 3 types or daily salt intake <6g 2 BMI [2] <18.5 or >30 0 25-29.9 1 18.5-24.9 2 Biological Index Blood Pressure (mmHg) Systolic >140;Diastolic>90 0 Systolic 120-139;Diastolic 80-89 1 Systolic <120;Diastolic <80 2 Blood Sugar (mmol/L) Fasting blood sugar >7.0, Random blood sugar >11.1 0 Fasting blood sugar 5.6-6.9 , Random blood sugar 7.8-11.0 1 Fasting blood sugar <5.6, Random blood sugar <7.8 2 Blood Cholesterol (mmol/L) LDL >4.1 0 LDL 3.4-4.0 1 LDL <3.4 2 *1 - A healthy diet includes 200-500g of vegetables and 200-350g of fruits per day, and not more than 50g of red meat per day *2 – BMI calculating formula: BMI=weight (kg)/height square (m2) Lets’ check your blood health status: Mark Health Status 0-6 In dangerous state 7-9 Death rate from respiratory disease reduced by 30% Death rate from cardiovascular disease reduced by 31% Death rate from ischemic heart disease reduced by 33% Death rate from stroke reduced by 20% Death rate from cancer reduced by 4% 10-14 Death rate from respiratory disease reduced by 46% Death rate from cardiovascular disease reduced by 56% Death rate from ischemic heart disease reduced 56% Death rate from stroke reduced by 56% Death rate from cancer reduced by 14% It's important to keep your blood healthy and delay the aging of blood vessels to obtain healthy and longevity. Practice healthy eating habits, quit smoking, and maintain emotional stability to maintain the blood’s health. Lastly, don’t forget to add a sachet of Stolle ImmNuPlus to your daily diet! After more than 60 years of research, obtained 200+ patents to prove the product’s effectiveness, and 36 years of drinking surveys to prove the safety, Stolle ImmNuPlus is rich in immune nutrients, which can effectively assist in regulating immunity, reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol level, as well as support gastrointestinal health. Stolle ImmNuPlus support immune balance and your heart health! Immune Today, Healthy Everyday!
more
Better and Healthier Blood Vessels Blood vessels serve as transport channels for blood throughout the body, responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to every organ. Therefore, once the blood vessel is blocked, as the highway in the peak period, slow blood flow or blockage may cause organ lack of oxygen, leading to various diseases. Nowadays, sudden death due to vascular blockage occurs frequently. Hence, we should practice the following good habits to avoid blockage: Drink enough water Blood viscosity will increase when your body lacks water, resulting in stronger blood flow resistance, slowed down flow rate, increased risk of plaque formation, and indirectly induced cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that you drink at least 2L of water (about 8 cups) per day. It is best to drink a small cup after getting up early and before going to bed; 6 to 9 in the morning is the peak period for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and high-risk groups should replenish water in time after getting up in the morning; if sweat due to hot weather, high temperature, or exercise, you should also remember to replenish water in time. Eat well High-fat, high-salt, high-sugar and other heavy-tasting diets will make the blood thicker and increase the burden on blood flow. A high-cholesterol diet will increase the levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. These substances deposit on blood vessels as they attach, forming atherosclerotic plaques, which make blood vessels lose their elasticity and become narrowed. It is recommended to pay attention to a balanced diet in life, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat less greasy, stimulating and spicy food. 3. Maintain your blood pressure Hypertension and atherosclerosis link to each other. Patients with hypertension should regulate their blood pressure, and not stop the drug or increase or decrease the dosage without a prescription. 4. Don't stay up late Staying up late can easily disrupt the biological clock, causing the body to secrete too much adrenaline and norepinephrine, which slows down blood flow and increases viscosity. It is recommended to work and rest regularly, go to bed before 11 o'clock every night and sleep for at least 7-8 hours. 5. Limit alcohol intake and Quit smoking Alcohol and tobacco are the nemeses of blood vessels. Studies have found that smoking and alcoholism can increase blood viscosity by more than 8 times compared to normal. Cigarettes cause structural damage to the arterial wall and advance the aging process of human blood vessels by 10 years. Excess alcohol drinking could lead the blood vessels to lose elasticity and harden, leading to high blood pressure. 6. Maintain a good mood Long-term mental stress and anxiety will inevitably cause sympathetic nerve excitement, vasoconstriction and spasm, and at the same time, vascular pressure will also increase, resulting in vascular endothelial damage, lipid deposition, and arteriosclerosis. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a happy mood and release stress in time. 7. Be active The longer you sit, the higher the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Sedentary behavior has been linked to hardening and damage to blood vessels, increased blood pressure and increased blood fat. It is recommended to walk briskly for 30 minutes a day to activate your body. Walking is a good choice as it can maintain aerobic metabolism, enhance cardiopulmonary function, prevent blood lipids from accumulating on blood vessel walls, and avoid thrombosis. 8. Maintain a healthy weight Obese people have a higher chance than normal people of developing cardiovascular disease, especially those with abdominal obesity. If you eat a high-sugar and high-fat diet or overeat for a long time, the excess fat that cannot be digested will be stored on the belly first, and then the blood vessels and liver, which will cause lipid deposition in the blood vessels and increased blood cholesterol level, leading to arteriosclerosis. Lastly, don’t forget to include a pack of Stolle ImmNuPlus which is rich in immune nutrients in your diet every day. ImmNuPlus could assist in lower blood cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, regulating immunity, etc. to provide you a healthier blood vessels, A better quality of life.
more
As Chinese New Year approaches, do you know that there are hidden meal traps in those delicious Chinese New Year dishes or pastries, and drinks you should be aware of? Many people fall prey to Chinese New Year’s ‘good hospitality, good food, and good symbols’ principles for the year ahead, leading to indulging and bouts of over-eating, leading to excess intake of calories as well as accumulation of toxins. Here, Stolle shares with you the following 5 hidden meal traps in Chinese New Year Dishes. 1. High purine The number of gout cases spikes up after the Chinese New Year, which shows a linkage with the diet during the festival season. For example, people with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high uric acid should control their intake of this Poon Choi, which has a big portion of meat and less portion of vegetables. Besides, seafood and Shiitake Mushroom that contain a high amount of purine is usually used in Poon Choi. This elevated level of purine intake is the result of increased production of uric acid, decreased excretion of uric acid, or a combination of both processes. Hyperuricemia can lead to gout, tophus, and urate nephropathy. The hot pot, poon choi, cured meat, and soup dishes eaten during the Chinese New Year are all high-purine food because they are made of fish, meat, seafood, bone soup, and offal with high purine content. 2. High cholesterol Cholesterol is an indispensable and important substance in animal tissue cells including the human body. It is not only one of the structural components of the body, but also a raw material for the synthesis of many important substances. Generally, the cholesterol content in animal meat is higher than that of poultry meat; fat meat is higher than lean meat, and shellfish and mollusks are higher than general fish. Pork kidney, pork liver, pork belly, shellfish, egg yolk, crab roe, etc. are also high-cholesterol foods, containing 200 to 300 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams. Long-term intake of high-cholesterol food will increase the cholesterol content in the blood serum and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, avoidance of cholesterol-containing foods can easily cause anemia and weaken the body’s immune system. Therefore, we should consume cholesterol in a moderation way. Poon choi and hot pots contain a lot of meat, offal and seafood, as well as shrimp rolls filled with dried shrimp and egg rolls with eggs, are all high-cholesterol New Year’s food. 3. High Calories and fat Cakes, cookies and snacks, such as mille-feuille cakes, pineapple tarts, small cakes, dried meat, dried shrimp rolls, etc., used to treat relatives and friends during the New Year gathering contain lot of oil, sugar, and even seasonings during processed, which are high-calorie foods. In addition, one gram of alcohol, a high-calorie drink contributes 7 calories, which is about the same as one gram of fat with 9 calories. Excess calorie intake will turn into fat and lead to being overweight, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. 4. High sodium Sodium is an essential mineral nutrient for the human body. It helps maintain osmotic pressure in the body, and maintain normal physiological functions of nerves, heart, and muscles. Our daily intake of sodium should be limited to 1500 mg as a high-sodium diet will increase the risk of high blood pressure. Seasoned Poon Choi, hot pot, cured meat, jerky, dried shrimp rolls, etc. are all high-sodium foods. 5. High sugar Snacks, cookies, and pastries are famous gifts or food during gatherings or visits to relatives’ and friends’ houses because sweets symbolize the sweetness of the new year. Most people tend to be inactive during the festive season and increasing the intake of these high-sugar snacks has increased the risk of obesity. Nonetheless, we also need to limit the intake of soda or sugar drinks which are also high in sugar. It’s important to understand the sugar content in each product by reading the nutritional fact table on the product label. "Fafa" health principles: 1. Eat 8 minutes per meal 2. Eat dinner before 8pm 3. Drink 8 glasses of boiled water a day 4. Sleep 8 hours a day 5. Walk at least 8,000 steps a day
more
Chinese New Year is always a fun-filled time with family, friends and food. Amidst the endless gatherings and tempting goodies, it is easy for us to let our hair down and indulge in whatever is presented to us. So, to avoid being regretted an uncontrolled appetite during CNY, there are a few tips from Stolle to keep you healthy. Stay hydrated Water is an ideal choice of beverage when you’re thirsty as it is important to your body’s health and has zero calories. Besides, your body can mistake thirst for hunger, enticing you to reach for another piece of tart or cookies. It is advisable to drink a glass of water before you head to any event. It is also important to drink plenty of water after a big day of eating to assist on flush out the wastes accumulated from feasting. Chew slowly & avoid binge eating Don’t you know that eating too fast may lead to indigestion and weight gain? Eating mindfully and chewing the food slowly is highly important as not chewing your food properly could make you eat more than you need. It is easy to get overeating during the festival or at reunion dinners, big plate tend to encourage bigger quantity of food, hence we may opt for a smaller plate to pace yourself and limiting your intake is important. You may also eat a healthy snack, like fruit or yogurt bar with nuts before visiting. This helps to prevent overeating during your visit, as well as increases overall fibre intake to meet daily need. Limit to 1 sugary beverage a day Remember those colorful carbonated drinks in our childhood days? People nowadays might have more health awareness but there are still many traps for sugary beverages. Pay attention to the sugar content of each sugar drink even if it claimed with low sugar. Try to limit to 1 sugar beverage a day for a healthy purpose. Stay active Staying active is highly important not only for your weight loss efforts but your health in general. Stick to your workout schedule even if it’s in the Chinese New Year. If you foresee it’s going to have limited time to work out during the festive season, aim for a 30-minute walk or take every opportunity to be active: play with the kids, park your car further from your destination, etc. Get enough sleep Playing mahjong and card games to the wee hours of the morning could have been your yearly Chinese New Year ritual but the problem with having an inadequate amount of sleep is that it can lead to bad food choices and cancelled workout plans. When you’re tired, you would want to eat more but also feel less satisfied after you eat. The occasional late night won’t totally disrupt your health but be mindful not to have too many over the holiday period. Take advantage of any chance to take a nap or have a break. Prepare or choose a healthier reunion dinner It is best if you are to decide on the menu, but in case your family decides to eat out or food deliveries, then you need to make healthier choices as well. Same old advice, choose more greens for your own sake. With these realistic approaches to the New Year, we hope you have a blasting good (and guilt-free) time soaking up all the goodness – food and family included. Now go forth and have a great year ahead!
more
Stay Healthy in Holiday Season The holiday season is always filled with good foods, fun activities, and great memories with family and friends. While enjoying and relaxing in this season, it’s easy to get a little lax on the healthy eating and exercise that we typically maintain which lead to disease or weight gain. Brighten the holidays by making your health and safety a priority. With a few tricks, it’s possible to keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy year-round, and ready to enjoy the holidays. Add more vegetables We always have an insufficient intake of fruit and vegetables during the holiday season. Increasing the number of vegetable dishes on the dinner table and finding small twists to dress them up without making them unhealthy is a smart trick to ensure the intake of vegetables. When in doubt, start your meal with a bowl of salad or a vegetable-based appetizer earlier in the afternoon. This will help you make sure get the vegetables you need instead of filling up with snacks or desserts. Find healthy alternative dishes on your favourite dishes A small modification could allow you to enjoy your favourites dishes in a healthy way. For example, reduce the use of butter, oil, and processed food in your meal; Wholegrain instead of white rice or noodles; bake the meat instead of deep frying it. These simple tricks may keep your favourite on your plate without the excess calories. Besides, canned, processed, and premade foods are full of excess salt and sugar that you can avoid by making the dishes yourself. Reduce your sodium intake by making your own cream of mushroom soup and reduce your sugar by making your own strawberry sauce. Stay Hydrated Water accounts for 60% of our body’s total weight and we need to stay hydrated in order to maintain this ratio. Ensure you take a few moments throughout the day to drink plain or infused water. You can also set reminders to drink more water or record your daily water intake using an app or the alarm on your smartphone or smartwatch. If you are consuming alcohol, try alternating glasses of water between your cocktails. Watch your portion size Overloading your plate is a norm during the holiday season, and this tends to gain weight more easily as compared with those able to control their portion size. Therefore, the best way to overcome this is to take your meal at a slower pace, listen to the “I’m full” signal, don't attend a party on an empty stomach as it makes you prone to overeating, or use smaller plates. Stay active Sedentary activities such as sitting on the couch watching TV, are common holiday traditions for many families. Inactivity may contribute to weight gain, especially if accompanied by overeating. Doing some type of physical activity with your family may prove beneficial for weight control. Even something as simple as a family walk can get your mind off food and allow you to bond with your loved ones. Get enough sleep Sleep deprivation, which is quite common during the holidays, may cause weight gain. This is because those who do not sleep enough tend to be hungrier, consume more calories, and exercise less. Additionally, inadequate sleep has been linked to lower metabolism. This may be caused by alterations in your circadian rhythm — a biological clock that regulates many of your bodily functions Lastly! Don't forget to take your ImmNuPlus or ImmNuPro everyday to balance your immunity to create a better healthy life in year 2023! Eating well and staying healthy can be difficult over the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. By maintaining your physical and mental health with some of the easy tips in this article, you’ll be able to start the new year off strong. And lastly, don’t forget to enjoy your Holidays!
more
Tips for 2023 New Year’s Resolution Are you making a resolution in the new year? At times, people who make New Year's resolutions aren't always able to maintain them. About 77% of individuals with the resolutions may give them up in less than a month. Here’s how to identify the right resolution to improve your life, create a plan on how to reach it, and become part of the small group of people that successfully achieve their goals. Start with a small target Start practicing healthy habits such as eating more nutritious foods, quitting cigarettes, cutting back on alcohol, reducing stress, and sleeping better are the most common New Year’s resolutions. Instead of setting unrealistic goals such as reducing 10kg of fat within a month, we should start with a small target that is definable and accompanied by a solid plan. Plan Ahead Making new year’s resolutions is no walk in the park. Learning how to keep new year’s resolutions is even harder. To make a long-lasting change in your life, prepare yourself for the challenges you might face. “Think about why you want to make the change.”, research the change you’re making and plan ahead, so you have the resources available when you need them. Tracking your progress There’s nothing more motivating than seeing how far you’ve come. Monitoring yourself might feel like a burden, but thanks to technology, this has become easy to do. Use an app to check off the days where you have worked towards your goal and record the whole journey. Reviewing all the efforts you have made is a great strategy to motivate yourself. Accept Failure Failure is normal. There’s nothing wrong with occasional slips. Make a note of the triggers and bad habits that caused this setback and vow to learn a lesson from them. Perseverance is the key to success. Set goals try again, keep trying and you will succeed. Plan your rewards Small rewards are a great encouragement to keep you going during the hardest first days so make sure to master this step in how to make a new year resolution. Small rewards such as watching a movie or a short getaway once you have successfully made a change. The reward can change monthly or something that you’ll look forward to which could motivate you. A lot of resolutions fail because they’re not the right resolutions. And a resolution may be wrong for one of three main reasons: It’s a resolution created based on what someone else (or society) is telling you to change. It’s too vague. You don’t have a realistic plan for achieving your resolution. Your goals should be smart — and SMART! Now that you know how to make a new year resolution, you are one step closer to achieving your goals. Be a brand new you in 2023! Immune Today, Health Everyday!
more
What is added sugar? The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that added sugar be limited to not more than 10% of our daily energy consumption. Therefore, the average amount of added sugar intake for adults inclusive of hidden sugar should not exceed 10 teaspoons a day (50g). But what is added sugar? Added sugars are sugars that are added to foods and beverages when they are processed or prepared. White sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and glucose syrup which are commonly used in daily life are all added sugars. These added sugars are mainly used in the production of soft drinks, yogurt drinks, fruit juices, packaged drinks, as well as foods such as desserts and candies. Some added sugars are also used in daily cooking, tea making, and pastries. The source of added sugar varies depending on the sources and consuming too much can damage your health. Why is added sugar a problem? Foods and beverages with added sugars will contribute extra calories to your diet but provide little nutritional value. Eating too many foods with added sugars increases the risk of potential health problems, such as: Poor nutrition. If you choose sugar-laden foods instead of more nutritious foods, insufficient important nutrients, vitamins, and minerals obtained from your daily diet. Weight gain. There's no single cause for being overweight or obese. But added sugar might contribute to the problem. It's easy to get extra calories when eating foods that are sugar-sweetened. Increased triglycerides level. Triglycerides are a type of fat in the bloodstream and fat tissue. Eating an excessive amount of added sugar can increase triglyceride levels, which may increase your risk of heart disease. Tooth decay. Sugar promotes tooth decay by allowing bacteria to multiply and grow. The more often you eat or drink foods with natural sugar or added sugar, the more likely you are to get cavities. How to reduce the intake of added sugar? Recognize added sugar Sugar goes by many names, depending on its source and how it was made. Increase the difficulty to recognize added sugar from food. Check for ingredients ending in "ose" — that's the chemical name for many types of sugar, such as fructose, glucose, maltose, and dextrose. Here's a list of other common types of added sugars: Cane juice and cane syrup Corn sweetener and high-fructose corn syrup Malt Maple syrup Fruit juice concentrate and nectar Honey Molasses Reduce the added sugars in your diet, try these tips: Drink water, other calorie-free drinks, or low-fat milk instead of sugary sodas or sports drinks, and coffee with added sugar. Choose 100% fruit juice, not juice drinks with added sugars. Better yet, eat the fruit rather than drink the juice to get the fiber as well. Choose breakfast cereals with less sugar. Skip sugary and frosted cereals. Opt for reduced-sugar varieties of syrups, jams, jellies and preserves. Choose fresh fruit for dessert instead of cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream and other sweets. Buy canned fruit packed in water or juice, not syrup. If you do purchase fruit packed in syrup, drain and rinse it with water to remove excess syrup. Choose nutrient-rich snacks such as vegetables, fruits, low-fat cheese, whole-grain crackers and low-fat, low-calorie yogurt instead of candy, pastries and cookies.
more