If you love eating sweet treats, you aren’t alone. In fact, the average American will eat around 20 teaspoons of sugar daily. That’s really too much because the recommended amount is a mere 6 teaspoons per day!
If you think that you’re one of the many people who consume way too much sugar, it is certainly wise to take some steps to reduce your sugars intake for your weight, as well as your overall health.
The Problem with Hidden Sugar
Here’s the thing: even if you think that you aren’t getting a lot of sugar from your diet, you actually might be. That’s because of hidden sugars. Those are the kinds of sugars that aren’t so obvious. You’ll find them in processed foods and packaged foods like pasta sauce, bread, salad dressing, etc. You will also find them in a lot of foods that you eat at restaurants, so you need to be careful when ordering from a menu.
Always remember: sugar is obvious in foods like candy, dessert, and soda, but there are plenty of other sources of sugar to consider when you are calculating how much of the sweet stuff you are consuming every day.
What About Alternatives Like Honey, Maple Syrup, Agave, and Coconut Sugars?
Are ingredients like honey or agave a better choice than regular sugar? What about maple syrup? And, what about coconut sugar? All of these are ingredients that you might see in recipes that claim they can help you reduce your sugar intake. And, you will also find these ingredients in a range of packaged foods as well.
The question is: are they really better than regular cane sugars? While many people are under the assumption that these alternatives are better because they are natural, the truth is that white or cane sugar, is natural too!
Also, here’s another thing to consider: all sweeteners and sugars are almost nutritionally identical. That includes the dreaded high-fructose corn syrup. This means that, in addition to adding the same type of flavor, they create the same effects in your body, and they can have the same type of impact on your weight.
No Matter What, It’s a Good Idea to Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Whether you prefer using maple syrup, agave, coconut sugars, honey, or cane sugar, it’s important to be aware of the fact that sugars can affect more than just your weight. According to Harvard Health Publishing, consuming a diet that is high in sugars may increase your risk of heart disease. In addition to that, it might boost the risk of developing:
Type 2 diabetes
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Metabolic conditions
How much sugar should you aim to get daily? As mentioned above, it’s best to stick to getting no more than 6 teaspoons, or 25 grams, of added sugars per day.
Now that you know a bit more about sugar and sweeteners, you can make smarter choices to improve your diet and feel great!
If you love eating sweet treats, you aren’t alone. In fact, the average American will eat around 20 teaspoons of sugar daily. That’s really too much because the recommended amount is a mere 6 teaspoons per day!
If you think that you’re one of the many people who consume way too much sugar, it is certainly wise to take some steps to reduce your sugars intake for your weight, as well as your overall health.
The Problem with Hidden Sugar
Here’s the thing: even if you think that you aren’t getting a lot of sugar from your diet, you actually might be. That’s because of hidden sugars. Those are the kinds of sugars that aren’t so obvious. You’ll find them in processed foods and packaged foods like pasta sauce, bread, salad dressing, etc. You will also find them in a lot of foods that you eat at restaurants, so you need to be careful when ordering from a menu.
Always remember: sugar is obvious in foods like candy, dessert, and soda, but there are plenty of other sources of sugar to consider when you are calculating how much of the sweet stuff you are consuming every day.
What About Alternatives Like Honey, Maple Syrup, Agave, and Coconut Sugars?
Are ingredients like honey or agave a better choice than regular sugar? What about maple syrup? And, what about coconut sugar? All of these are ingredients that you might see in recipes that claim they can help you reduce your sugar intake. And, you will also find these ingredients in a range of packaged foods as well.
The question is: are they really better than regular cane sugars? While many people are under the assumption that these alternatives are better because they are natural, the truth is that white or cane sugar, is natural too!
Also, here’s another thing to consider: all sweeteners and sugars are almost nutritionally identical. That includes the dreaded high-fructose corn syrup. This means that, in addition to adding the same type of flavor, they create the same effects in your body, and they can have the same type of impact on your weight.
No Matter What, It’s a Good Idea to Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Whether you prefer using maple syrup, agave, coconut sugars, honey, or cane sugar, it’s important to be aware of the fact that sugars can affect more than just your weight. According to Harvard Health Publishing, consuming a diet that is high in sugars may increase your risk of heart disease. In addition to that, it might boost the risk of developing:
How much sugar should you aim to get daily? As mentioned above, it’s best to stick to getting no more than 6 teaspoons, or 25 grams, of added sugars per day.
Now that you know a bit more about sugar and sweeteners, you can make smarter choices to improve your diet and feel great!
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