The added sugars in soda pop and other sweet beverages can really pack on the pounds. A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004 revealed that Americans indulge their sweet tooth -- they get around 355 calories per day, or more than 22 teaspoons, from added sugars. This is far more than the American Heart Association recommends for adults.
Added Sugars
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate. It has no nutritional value. However, it is chocked with calories, at four calories per gram, says the American Heart Association. If your food product has 10 grams of added sugar, you're getting 40 calories from sugar -- and that excludes the other ingredients. Don't confuse added sugars with the sugar that occurs naturally in certain food. The Cleveland Clinic points out that fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains are high in dietary fiber and a valuable contributor to your daily diet.
Sugary Beverages
When it comes to sugar calories, the Cleveland Clinic and Harvard School of Public Health point to soft drinks and other sugary beverages as a problem source. A 12-oz. regular soft drink may have 130 calories and 8 tsp. of added sugar. According to the Centers for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI, Americans get 33 percent of added sugar from soft drinks as opposed to the 3 percent found in tea and the 4 percent in breakfast cereals.
If you want to curb calories, cut down on soft drinks and pure fruit juices. Harvard suggests making palate-pleasing, low-calorie beverages at home, such as fruit- or herb-infused spa water, unsweetened coffee and tea and sparkling water flavored with a splash of juice.
Sugar in Your Food
Be a careful label reader when scoping out food in the grocery aisle so you won't burden your cart with high-sugar foods. Added sugars go by many other names on the ingredients list. Fruit juice concentrate, raw sugar and agave nectar might sound healthier -- but these are simply other names for added sugar. Other ingredients to look for on your food include corn sweetener, high fructose corn sugar, molasses, brown sugar, malt syrup and anything ending in "-ose," such as fructose and maltose.
Sugar Calories
Americans have far fewer discretionary calories to spend on sugar than they realize. The American Heart Association advises most adult women to get no more than 100 calories from added sugar, while adult men can have 150 calories. If you crave your nightly dessert, you can still have it, says the AHA, but you'll have to put in a little sweat for your treat. The more exercise you get, the more discretionary calories you can have from added sugar.
References
- The Cleveland Clinic; Eating Too Much Sugar? It's time to Tame Your sweet Tooth; Melissa Ohlson; December 2009
- American Heart Association; Sugars and Carbohydrates
- American Heart Association; Association Recommends Reduced Intake of Added Sugars
- Harvard School of Public Health; The Nutrition Source: Six Ideas for Low-Sugar Drinks
- Center for Science in the Public Interest; Where Added Sugar Comes From
- Harvard School of Public Health; The Nutrition Source: How to Spot Added Sugar on Food Labels
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