- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 recommended daily intake of sugar for people two years and older is to limit added sugars to less than 10% of the total daily calories per day.
- This means in an adult who consumes a 2,000 calorie per day diet, no more than 200 calories (about 12 teaspoons, or 48 grams of sugar) should come from added sugars.
- The American Heart Association recommended daily intake of sugar goes further and they recommend no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of sugar) of added sugars per day for most women and no more than 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar) of added sugars per day for most men.
- Sugar in the diet can occur naturally, such as from fruit (fructose and glucose) and milk (lactose) or it may be added to foods during preparation, processing, or at the table.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) states there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming natural sugars. Added sugars in the diet are the ones we generally need to be concerned about. Consumption of too many added sugars can contribute to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
- One teaspoon of sugar equals four grams. The average American adult consumes an average of 77 grams of sugar per day, which adds up to about 60 pounds of added sugar each year and far exceeds the recommended daily intake of sugar. American children consume even more – an average of 81 grams per day, which is over 65 pounds of added sugar per year.
What Are Added Sugars?
Added sugars are those added to foods during preparation, processing, or at the table. Added sugars may include:
- Table sugar
- Brown sugar
- Raw sugar
- Invert sugar
- Coconut sugar
- Turbinado sugar
- Cane crystals
- Syrups
- Corn syrup
- Maple syrup
- High fructose corn syrup
- Malt syrup
- Honey
- Molasses
- Dextrose
- Sucrose
- Sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices
- Agave nectar
- Evaporated cane juice
- Crystalline fructose
- Maltose
What Are Sources of Added Sugars?
The main sources of added sugars in the U.S. diet come from:
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Reviewed on 2/9/2022
References
Image Source: iStock Images
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/added-sugars.html
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/added-sugars.html