Working ou RDI limits

rusty the athlete

Having been very alarmed when my recent health checkup returned my sugar/glucose tolerance to be the upper end of the pre-diabetic range I decided to be far more vigilant to the sugar contents of the various jars, cans and packets in the larder. Bearing in mind that the generally accepted Recommended Daily Limit (RDI) is 37.5 grams for an adult male, I started to use the information on the packaging to determined now near I was getting to the RDI. The result was truly alarming and my conclusion was that I must be dead luckly not to have become a total Diabetes B type case years ago. My first observation about the packaging was how grossly misleading the RDI information on the packaging is. For example, a Dark Chocolate Hazelnut bar displays a sugar content “per rectangle” of 10 grams that’s provides 11% of the adult male limit. So imputing from this information gives a suggested total RDI of 100/11 * 10g, or 90.9 grams RDI limit. This looks substantially different to the 37.5g quoted by health experts. Convinced my logic to be wrong I took a look the declaration for a brand of seasonal Mince Pies. There is stands that “One mince pie” contains 13.7g sugar or 15% of the RDI. Applying the logic as before this would imply a recommended RDI of 100/15 * 13.7g or a RDI or 91.33 grams RDI limit, again far cry from the 37.5g recommended limit. I’m sure my logic/maths must be completely wrong for such a consistent difference between 37.5 and 90 or thereabouts but I can’t see where, and in the interests of healthy living from now on I would greatly appreciated if a member of these boards could point out the flaws in my thinking, even if it proves that I am being embarasingly stupid.

Alf Veedersane

The % RDI on the pack will vary depending on where they take their RDI from.

Not really surprising that they use an RDI that makes the % in their product seem relatively small.

I wouldn't be concerned with the % RDI on the pack. If just be looking at the grams of sugar in what you're eating.

rusty the athlete

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Not really surprising that they use an RDI that makes the % in their product seem relatively small.

But surely this is dishonest and misleading in the sense that those of us who try and adopt sensible eating on the basis of this information are really eating dangerous levels of sugar without being aware of this.

Alf Veedersane

The RDI differs between 37.5g for added sugars and 90g (rule of thumb in the EU) for total sugars, which includes naturally occurring sugars.

Ignore the % and use the actual gram value.