Sugar is just about everything that we eat and drink. It is often regarded as an unhealthy food but is essential to our diets. Like most things, moderation is the key. Here are some discussion questions about sugar that you can use for an engaging dialogue on the topic.
For ESL learners, the most challenging terms in this speaking activity are – consume, reduce, affect, allowed, substitute, addictive, contain, decay, odour, produce, cut out, climate, and situation.
The conversation questions about sugar are –
1 – What is the first thing that you think of when you hear the word sugar?
2 – About how much sugar would you say that you consume each month?
3 – Do you think that you eat and drink too much sugar? How could you reduce this?
4 – What are some foods and drinks that you always like to add sugar to?
5 – In what ways does sugar affect the body? How can sugar be good for your health?
6 – Are children in your family allowed to eat a lot of sugar, chocolate, and sweets?
7 – How does sugar get from growing as a cane in a field to your kitchen?
8 – What is one sugary food that would be hard for you to live without? How is it made?
9 – Do you prefer white, brown, or raw sugar? How much sugar is in your home?
10- Where do you usually keep sugar? Have you ever had a problem with ants and sugar?
11- What are some things that you can use as a substitute for sugar? Are they as good?
12- Do you believe that sugar can be addictive? Why do you think so?
13- What are 3 things you can drink that contain no sugar at all? How do they taste?
14- Do you brush your teeth because of sugar and decay or do you do it for mouth odour?
15- Which countries produce the most sugar? Which countries consume the most sugar?
16- Could you cut sugar completely out of your diet? What would happen if you did this?
17- Do you ever eat sugary foods for breakfast? Do you think that they are healthy?
18- What sugary foods do you want to eat in the near future? Where will you buy them?
19- In which meal of the day do you eat the most sugar? Give examples of the food.
20- Which do you prefer, sugar or salt? Which one do you think is the healthiest and why?
21- Do you expect there will be more or less sugar in people’s diets in the future? Why?
22- What are some situations in which it is useful to have some sugary food on hand?
23- Would you like to be a sugar farmer? What kind of climate does sugarcane grow in?
24- What is something that you would never add sugar to? Why wouldn’t you?
25- Do you check how much sugar is in the things that you buy at the supermarket?
