Sugar can be hard to avoid due to the large number of foods in which it is found. Although naturally occurring sugar can have negative health effects, most of the spotlight is on added sugars. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans list added sugars as one of the foods that Americans should consume less frequently.
Daily Recommendations
The American Heart Association recommends that adult women limit their daily intake of added sugars to 100 calories, or 6 teaspoons. Adult men should consume no more than 150 calories, or 8 teaspoons of added sugars. Between the years 2001 and 2004, the average daily intake was 22.2 teaspoons per day, or 355 calories. If 6 to 8 teaspoons seems like a lot, consider that one 12-oz. can of contains 8 teaspoons of sugar.
Emphasis on Added Sugars
The guidelines issued by the American Heart Association only apply to added sugars. Doctors emphasize added sugars because foods that contain them tend to be low in other nutrients, whereas naturally occurring sugars are frequently found in healthy foods like fruit and milk. Foods that contain added sugars include candy, soda, sports drinks, cakes, cookies and ice cream. These foods also tend to be high in calories and have been linked to the rise in obesity rates in the United States.
Tracking Your Intake
To determine whether you need to limit your sugar intake, keep track of how much sugar you consume over the course of a day. As suggested by Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute dietitian and wellness manager Kristin Kirkpatrick in the Huffington Post, you can exclude the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit and milk products. Both added and natural sugars are included on the Nutrition Facts label, which can make it tricky to determine how many added sugars are contained in a given food. Foods that contain high amounts of added sugars usually have an added sugar listed near the top of the ingredient list or several types of added sugars scattered throughout the ingredient list.
Cutting Back
Excessive consumption of added sugars contributes to obesity, heart disease, dental problems and nutritional deficiencies, as noted by the Mayo Clinic. If your intake of added sugars is too high, you can cut back by avoiding foods that list added sugars in the ingredient list. Examples of added sugars include high fructose corn syrup, syrup, raw sugar, syrup, cane sugar, brown sugar, dextrose, fructose, glucose, corn sweetener, molasses, honey or fruit juice concentrates. Be especially careful to limit your intake of soda, which is the most common source of added sugar in the average American's diet.
References
- 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: Foods and Food Components to Reduce
- "Circulation"; Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health : A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Associatio; Rachel K. Johnson et al.; 2009
- "Huffington Post"; Sugar Health Risks: Are You Letting Real Sugar Off the Hook?; Kristin Kirkpatrick; 2010
- Harvard School of Public Health: How to Spot Added Sugar on Food Labels
- MayoClinic.com: Added Sugar: Don't Get Sabotaged by Sweeteners
- FamilyDoctor.org: Added Sugar: What You Need to Know
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