How Much Sugar Is In Your Favourite Malaysian Drinks?

How Much Sugar Is In Your Favourite Malaysian Drinks? - MalaysiaCaregiving Support

How Much Sugar Is In Your Favourite Malaysian Drinks?

Sugary drinks like teh ais completes an everyday meal living in Malaysia but is it healthy? Let’s find out how much sugar goes into your favourite local drinks here in this article!

“Everything in moderation” applies to a great many things where our health is concerned, and that includes your sugar intake. While it’s fine to occasionally indulge in some sweetness from time to time, too much sugar – especially added sugar – can be bad for your health in the long term.

The Effect of Sugar on the Body

Sugar can be found naturally occurring in some food items, such as milk, fruits and vegetables. Added sugars, as the name suggests, are what food manufacturers add to improve the flavour of certain foods or to extend their shelf life. Added sugars are what you should worry about, since the foods we eat may contain added sugars; the more we eat, the more sugar goes into our bodies.

Sugars give you a rush of dopamine, “a feel-good chemical” that the body produces. It also gives you energy by quickly raising your blood sugar levels. It’s why we tend to crave sweet foods from time to time. Of course, too much sugar can be bad for your body in many ways. Adverse effects may include:

  • Weight gain: A particular sugar called fructose can make you feel like eating more so than glucose, the main type of sugar. Excessive fructose intake can cause a gradual resistance towards leptin, a hormone that regulates your hunger levels.
  • Diabetes: Higher-than-normal sugar intake can increase the risk of getting diabetes. This can happen indirectly via weight gain and increased body fat caused by excessive sugar consumption.
  • Heart disease: High sugar consumption also increases your risk of heart disease owing to obesity, inflammation, and even atherosclerosis.
  • Cancer risk: High sugar consumption also increases your risk of developing certain cancers due to the side effects sugar has on your health (insulin resistance, for example).

In many cases, the risk of adverse health complications arises because excessive sugar intake impairs many bodily or organ functions in the long run. Some other issues that might arise from these include:

  • Cellular ageing
  • Fatty liver
  • Kidney disease
  • Cognitive decline
  • Cavities
  • Joint pain

Ideally,you should not exceed 10 teaspoons of sugar per day (50g)as per the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines, or “not more than 10 percent of your daily energy consumption.” If possible, you should aim to have less than this. Love sugar too much and find it hard to control the intake? Get to the root causes – these15 strategies could help you to cut down on sugar effectivelyand kiss the cravings goodbye!

The Sugar Content of Popular Malaysian Drinks

Many of the drinks we enjoy having when dining out (or even at home) tend to be high in added sugar count. Do you know how much sugar you’re consuming with each drink you have? Let’s take a look at the sugar content of some of your favourite drinks.

Teh Tarik

Source: masses.com.my

Have you noticed that theteh tarikserving size is almost always the same in differentmamakplaces? A typicalteh tarikglass has about 177 calories, with 26g (or 4.5 tsp) of sugar per glass. A single glass is enough to meet half of your daily sugar intake!

Don’t think that ordering “kurang manis” (less sweet) will save you. In some places, the amount of sugar that’s removed from your drink is negligible (or they completely forget to remove it), which is why you might notice yourteh tarikstill tastes sweet.

Milo/Vico/Ovaltine/Horlicks

A popular everyday staple, the chocolate malt drinksMilo, Vico, andOvaltineare also filled with added sugars.Milo, for example, has 12.2g (~2 tsp) of sugar per 30g serving; some people may prefer to add condensed milk to further sweeten their drink. That does add more sugar to your drink.

If, say, a single 20g serving of condensed milk has approximately 10g of sugar, and theMilo/Vico/Ovaltineyou drink has two servings added, that’s already 32g of added sugar you’re consuming: that’s about 5 to 6 teaspoons of sugar!

Speaking of malted drinks, there’s alsoHorlicks, a mainly vanilla-flavoured drink that’s also well-liked by Malaysians. The sugar content of one glass can go as high as 27.5g, or approximately 5 tsp.

Kopi

Source: Burpple

Coffee (kopiin Malay) comes in various forms, each of which has varying amounts of sugar. Regularkopican have as much as 24g (4 tsp) of sugar per cup/glass.Kopi O, which is coffee with sugar and no condensed milk, may be anywhere between 15 to 20g of sugar (up to 3.5 tsp). Meanwhile,kopi C– which has both milk and sugar – can be anywhere between 22 to 28g of sugar (up to 5 tsp).

Cham(Coffee & Tea)

Chamis a blend of coffee and tea with some condensed milk to sweeten the deal. A glass ofchamcan have as much sugar as a glass ofkopi C, if not more.

Packet Drink

A common sight, packet drinks like those made and sold by Yeo’s are a choice beverage for hot days or especially the famous picks for many households during the festive season. A 250ml chrysanthemum-flavoured packet drink can have as much as 12g of sugar, equal to 2 tsp (or more, in some cases).

Soft Drinks/Sodas

Coca-Cola, F&N, and many other kinds of soft drinks and sodas are also high in added sugars. A 12-ounce (~350ml) can/bottle of Coca-Cola has as much as 39g of sugar, equal to about 7 tsp! Coca-Cola Zero, the sugar-free alternative, may have no sugar in it, but it still contains artificial sweeteners which are harmful to your health.

Kickapoo Joy Juice, another popular choice, has as much as 48g in a 350ml can/bottle: that’s already 9g more than what Coca-Cola puts in its trademark drink. Bundaberg Ginger Beer, a relatively new option that more people are enjoying, can have as much as 40.5g of sugar in a 375ml bottle.

Cordials

Fruit cordials, such as those from Sunquick and Ribena, are another source of high-added sugars. A 200ml can of Ribena Blackcurrant can have as much as 21.2g (up to 4 tsp) of sugar in it, while a 165ml glass of diluted Sunquick has 12g of sugar (up to 2 tsp).

Sirap/Air Bandung

Source: resepiilhamku.blogspot.com

Made with rose syrup and evaporated/condensed milk,sirap bandungis a pleasantly pink beverage best served cold. One glass can have as much as 32g of sugar in it, equal to 5.5 to 6 tsp.

Soya Cincau

A mixture of sugar syrup, soy milk and grass jelly,soya cincauis also a beverage that’s enjoyed with ice. Because of its composition, and the fact some places may add sugar or other ingredients to add to the flavour, the sugar content is as much as 24g (up to 4 tsp).

Boba/Milk Tea

Bubble tea, popular among the youth, also has a relatively high sugar content. A regular cup can have 18.75g (3 to 3.5 tsp) of sugar. Sugar isn’t only in the drink itself, but also in the sweet, chewy pearls as well. However, note that the sugar content can vary depending on the brand.

Healthier Alternatives

It isn’t just enough to ask for less sugar in your drinks. While many of the drinks shared above also offer a less-sweet alternative in their product line, you can opt for healthier options to maintain your overall health right at home.

Fresh Coconut

Source: Shutterstock

Fresh coconut is always an enjoyable beverage for a hot, sunny day. Coconuts are full of nutrition, being rich with many minerals and vitamins your body needs. Coconut water also has natural sugars, giving it a sufficiently sweet taste.

Coconut water is rich in magnesium, which can help increase insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.Coconut water is also a good choice as an alternative to sports or energy drinks; it has electrolytes such as potassium that make it an ideal, low-sugar choice for rehydrating after exercising.

You can also eat the flesh of the coconut for more nutrients, including copper, selenium, and iron. Coconut is also high in fibre and healthy fats, and may even help improve insulin resistance to help with regulating blood sugar levels even further.

Freshly Squeezed Fruits

Source: 123rf

A lot of times, fruit juices served in some restaurants tend to have added sugars to enhance the sweetness. It’d be much better to make your own at home instead of buying ready-to-drink ones that also contain lots of sugar. Many fruits are already rich with natural sweetness, so there’s no real need to add anything more to them.

Pandan Water

Pandan is used for many things in Malaysia, and you’ve no doubt had some succulent pandan-wrapped fried chicken before (or similar dishes where pandan is used). Not only is pandan fragrant, but it’s also rich in a number of essential nutrients. One such nutrient is beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A, which is itself an antioxidant. Pandan is also rich in vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin.

Pandan water (or juice) is relatively simple to make. Just cut pandan leaves into small pieces, blend them together with water, and then pour it into a bowl with a sieve. You can also add small pieces into a kettle of water and boil it.

Homemade Tea

Whether you prefer using tea bags or tea leaves, homemade tea is a nice drink you and your loved ones can enjoy together, be it hot or cold. Most teas are usually sugar-free, but it won’t hurt to check the nutrition facts before you buy. You should also avoid buying instant/three-in-one tea sachets/packets, as these usually have plenty of added sugars per serving.

If you really need a hint of sweetness to your tea, you’d best keep it in moderation, say one or two teaspoons in your glass. Make sure you account for any other sugars you might have had in the day (difficult to do, but still worth trying for your health), too. Wondering which Malaysian food you should eat or avoid as a person living with diabetes? We’ve listed down some of thelocal delicacies you can indulge in and cut back on for diabetics.

Other Solutions: Hire A Caregiver

Taking care of your loved ones’ nutrition isn’t always an easy thing to do, especially if they’re a little stubborn about it. This is especially important if a loved one is diabetic or is at risk of diabetes or other kinds of illnesses. If you’re having a hard time keeping tabs on their medications or monitoring their blood glucose levels, why not get some help? Here at , we’re committed to giving you the caregiving your loved one needs.

Ourtrained Care Proscan help you out with keeping an eye on your loved one’s blood glucose levels and provide you with caregiving support so that you can recuperate or handle other important things without having to stress over your loved one’s condition. They can remind your loved ones to take their prescribed medications, guide them with some light physical activity, and even be a companion for a few hours while you’re away.We’ll work closely with you to come up with a comprehensive, personalized care plan.

Get care now by downloading our app! References

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