Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 7, 2025

Highly Sensitive and Rapid Fluorescence Detection with a Portable FRET Analyzer
Published on: October 1, 2016
Free Sugars Consumption in Canada
Huma Rana1, Marie-Claude Mallet2, Alejandro Gonzalez1
1Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Health Canada, 100 Eglantine, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9, Canada.
Abstract:
Free sugars (FS) are associated with a higher risk of dental decay in children and an increased risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity and type 2 diabetes. For this reason, Canada's Food Guide recommends limiting foods and beverages that contribute to excess free sugars consumption. Estimating FS intakes is needed to inform policies and interventions aimed at reducing Canadians' consumption of FS. The objective of this study was to estimate FS intake of Canadians using a new method that estimated the free sugars content of foods in the Canadian Nutrient File, the database used in national nutrition surveys. We define FS as sugars present in food products in which the structure has been broken down. We found that 12% of total energy (about 56 g) comes from FS in the diet of Canadians 1 year of age and older (≥1 year). The top four sources were: (1) sugars, syrups, preserves, confectionary, desserts; (2) soft drinks; (3) baked products and (4) juice (without added sugars), and accounted for 60% of total free sugars intake. The results show that efforts need to be sustained to help Canadians, particularly children and adolescents, to reduce their FS intake.
Related Concept Videos
Sugars as Energy Storage Molecules
Carbohydrates: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...
Glucose Transporters
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:
Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...
Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine

