Sugar in tea-how bad is it?

[Wardrobehanger]

I’ve recently realised that having a cup of tea with a teaspoon of sugar is much better at meeting a craving for a sweet treat than anything else-if i have a biscuit or chocolate i keep eating and snacking.
In calorie terms it’s definitely better and it would probably only be one or two a day.
And how bad is it for teeth? I usually avoid sugary drinks for that reason

Tea with one sugar isn't a sugary drink in the same way as a fizzy drink or a fruit juice. I wouldn't worry about it.

Yes, to put it into context a can of coke has about 10 teaspoons of sugar. I don't think you need to worry about this.

Also, for dental health the time of exposure to sugar is more important than the amount. You probably drink your tea over a shortish period of time so it doesn't get cold.

I don't really eat biscuits or cake but have sugar in my tea, I sometimes have people "tut" at me whilst they eat a chocolate biscuit, a bit of sugar does you no harm its not coca cola

The important thing with sugar in any form, coke, smoothies, sugar in tea etc, is not how much you are having but how often.

A cold sweet drink is not good because you can sip at it over hours whereas a hot drink will be drunk quickly.

In general anything sweet should be eaten or drunk at meal times if at all possible because then you are just having one hit. It also should not be eaten or drunk just before or at bed time because even if you brush your teeth afterwards it still sits on your teeth overnight.

So the answer is if you are drinking your sugared tea outside of meal times , alongside snacking or drinking other sugary/starchy snacks then it is as bad as coke, fruit juice or a fizzy drink . However if it is drunk with a meal or no more than one or possibly two cups a day with no other sugary/starchy snacks then you are probably ok.

It is exactly the same as a fizzy or fruit juice drink , the acid produced by the sugar will take an hour to stop attacking the teeth. The only difference is you are more likely to sip on a fizzy drink or fruit juice over a longer period so the teeth are under attack longer.

With tooth decay it’s not how much sugar you are having it’s how often that’s the problem and when ie just before or at bedtime is particularly dangerous for teeth.

Even a bit of sugar produces acid that attacks the teeth for an hour afterwards, even if it’s just a sip or a bite of something.

Sugared tea and coffee will rot teeth just as easily as Coca Cola. You should see the damage sugared tea in babies bottles does as well as the damage to adults teeth. Most people will drink multiple cups of tea or coffee during the day at different times to meals .

It’s not how much sugar you have it’s how often and when.

I’ve had half a sugar in my tea all my life and I’m almost 40 with no fillings, size 8-10. I drink maybe 1-2 cups a day at most and take my coffee black, unsweetened. Other than that, I drink mostly water and don’t like soft drinks. I have no plans to give up my small sugar!

I think I’ll give it a go. Maybe follow it up with some chewing gum! Feel like I’ve finally found something to crack my snacking issue!
My husband will think it’s very odd though because I haven’t had sugar in tea in the 25 years I’ve known him.

You might not even like the taste but try it,