In case you haven’t heard, sugar is the new bad boy on the block. Sources report that experts at University of California, San Francisco, are actually calling for government regulations against the white stuff, due to its link to the rising obesity epidemic and uptick in chronic illness, such as type 2 diabetes.
Also, when you eat too many empty sugar calories, you tend to skimp on the good stuff (think: fruits and veggies) and nutrients your body needs.
Sugar Shock
On average, Americans eat about 22.2 teaspoons of added sugar daily (or 355 calories). That adds up to 155 teaspoons per week (2,325 calories) or 8,105 teaspoons per year (121,575 calories). About 36 percent of the sugar assault comes from soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks.
Sugar Limit
According to the American Heart Association, women should eat no more than six teaspoons of added sugar daily; men shouldn’t consume more than nine teaspoons. Keep in mind that we’re talking added sugar here (the stuff manufacturers dump in to boost flavor), not natural sugar, such as that found in fruit and unsweetened dairy products. Check out the list below and see if some of the common foods you eat send you over the not-so-sweet edge.
- Cola (16 fluid ounces): 13.5 teaspoons
- Sports drink (16 fluid ounces): 7 teaspoons
- Lemonade (8 fluid ounces): 7 teaspoons
- Red Bull (8.4 ounces): 6.75 teaspoons
- Lite French dressing (2 tablespoons): 6.5 teaspoons
- Chocolate donut (1 donut): 6.25 teaspoons
- Dried, sweetened cranberries (1/3 cup): 6.25 teaspoons
- Frosted Flakes (3/4 cup): 3.75 teaspoons
- Canned baked beans (1 cup): 3.75 teaspoons
- Barbecue sauce (2 tablespoons): 2.25 teaspoons
Sweet Relief
The good news is that you’re in total control of your sugar intake. Read labels carefully and look for hidden sources of sugar. The label may read corn syrup, evaporated cane juice, dextrose, malt syrup, cane sugar, maltodextrine, brown sugar, crystalline fructose, fructose juice concentrates, invert sugar, and maltose — it’s all sugar.
Every 4 grams is equivalent to about one teaspoon, so break out your calculator. And what could happen when you omit added sugars from your diet? You could lose 30 pounds, like A-list actor Alec Baldwin, who also looks 30 years younger!
Toby Amidor is a registered dietician and the owner of Toby Amidor Nutrition. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition and dietetics from New York University. You can follow her on Twitter at @tobyamidor.
