The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar—about 340 calories—in their diet each day. That's more than three times the amount recommended by the USDA. The main source of this added sugar is sugary drinks, followed by sweets and desserts, fruit juices, and dairy products. In fact, most Americans get about half their daily calories from foods that are high in added sugars. Even more alarming is that children who drink just one can of soda per day have been found to consume more than twice as much sugar as what is recommended for an adult male on a 2,000-calorie diet! So how much-added sugar should you be consuming? Well...it depends on what's in your food and how active you are outside work or school hours...
Sugar is a carbohydrate that tastes sweet.
Sugar is a carbohydrate that tastes sweet. It's found in many foods, including bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables, milk products, and meat. The main source of sugar in the Western diet is soda.
Sugar is an important source of energy for your body because it provides quick calories that your cells can use immediately. However, too much added sugar can make you gain weight or become overweight if you eat more than what your body needs each day (about 50 grams). Added sugars have no nutritional value so limiting them can help you lose weight over time by reducing calories consumed without having any effect on your overall nutrition needs
The main source of sugar in the Western diet is sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and juice drinks.
The main source of sugar in the Western diet is sugar-sweetened beverages like soda and juice drinks. In fact, these beverages account for more than half of all added sugars consumed in the United States each day.
Sugary drinks provide empty calories that can contribute to weight gain, especially if you're already overweight or obese. Drinking just one soda a day increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 27 percent!
The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your consumption of added sugars (like those found in soft drinks) to no more than 6 teaspoons per day (about 100 calories). For comparison's sake: 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) have about 16 grams--the equivalent of 4 teaspoonfuls--of added sugar; 1 cup has 48 grams/12 teaspoonfuls; and 1 can have 34 grams/8 teaspoonfuls.*
In general, beverages don't provide many nutrients beyond calories.
In general, beverages don't provide many nutrients beyond calories. That's because they don't contain much in the way of vitamins, minerals, or protein. Beverages are a source of sugar but not nutrients. For example:
- Soda contains sugar and caffeine but no other nutrients (or water).
- Fruit juice has some vitamins and minerals but also contains natural sugars that may contribute to weight gain if you drink too much of it each day (1 cup = 8 teaspoons).
- Milk contains calcium as well as protein-rich whey protein isolates; however, it also contains lactose which some people cannot digest properly due to an enzyme deficiency called lactose intolerance
A single can of soda contains about nine teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories.
A single can of soda contains about nine teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. That's more than half the recommended daily amount for women and teens, and almost all the maximum amount for men. A 12-ounce can also have a whopping 40 grams of carbohydrates--the same as three slices of bread!
Compare this to drinking water: You'll get zero calories per glass, but still, get hydration from H2O's natural electrolytes (sodium and potassium).
Soda isn't just bad for your waistline; it's also not good for your health! Soda is high in artificial sweeteners that have been linked with cancer, diabetes, and weight gain. And some research suggests that consuming too much sugar may even decrease brain function over time by causing inflammation that damages nerve cells' ability to communicate properly with each other (1).
"Sugar" also refers to other sweeteners, like honey and maple syrup.
- Honey: One tablespoon of honey has 21 grams of sugar. That's about as much as a can of soda but with more calories and no caffeine to boot!
- Maple syrup: Maple syrup contains about 50 percent more calories than white table sugar (5 calories per gram versus 4), which means that it has a greater impact on blood glucose levels.
- Other sweeteners such as agave nectar or brown rice syrup are even higher in carbohydrates and should be used sparingly if at all.
Some foods that might seem healthy but aren't actually low in sugar include bread, cereals, and granolas which are made with honey or fruit juice concentrate instead of whole fruit.
Some foods that might seem healthy but aren't actually low in sugar include bread, cereals, and granolas which are made with honey or fruit juice concentrate instead of whole fruit.
Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber and B vitamins, but most products labeled "whole grain" have added sugars. The best way to know if you're getting whole grains is to check the ingredient list: if there are more than two or three ingredients listed before seeing "whole wheat flour," it's likely highly processed and may contain more sugar than you think.
If you're craving something sweet but don't want to load up on added sugars from other sources like sodas or candy bars, try these alternatives instead:
You need to limit your intake of added sugars because they have no nutritional value and contribute to weight gain if you consume more than you should.
Sugar is a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are the nutrients that provide your body with energy. You need carbohydrates to function properly, but you also need to limit how much sugar you eat because it has no nutritional value and contributes to weight gain if you consume more than you should.
Sugar can be found in many foods, including drinks such as soda pop; sweets such as candy bars and desserts; cereals (including those labeled "healthy"); and fruit juice concentrates used by manufacturers of soft drinks (such as cola).
Conclusion
In general, it's best to limit your intake of added sugars. If you're trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, try cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages and other foods with added sweeteners. You can also substitute sugar with other sweeteners like honey or maple syrup in recipes that call for sugar amounts equal in volume (like baking).
