The obesity epidemic is still making headlines, but there is another topic that more people should be aware of: the problems that come with high sugar intake. A lot of health pros have found that Americans’ sugar intake is far too high, and might even be an epidemic itself, so it’s important to be aware of how much sugar is too much.
Let’s Look at Some Numbers
Here are some interesting facts to consider:
The average American will eat around 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily. This does not include naturally occurring sugar, such as the sugar in fruit.
Men should be eating no more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar daily, while women should be getting no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily, according to the American Heart Association.
Why It’s Important to Reduce Your Sugar Intake
What’s the big deal about getting so much sugar from your diet? Well, when you consume too much added sugar, you run the risk of becoming obese, of developing heart disease or diabetes, and of dying early. Scary, but true!
Added Sugar vs. Natural Sugar
Remember, there are sugars in a lot of the foods that you eat, so it isn’t enough to just avoid the soda and stop yourself from adding sugar to your coffee.
Natural sugars can occur naturally in a food. Example: fructose in fruit and lactose in dairy products. Also, let’s not forget that there is sugar in fruit juice too!
Sugar is also found in foods that aren’t sweet, such as salad dressings, snacks, condiments, and bread. These foods can contribute to your daily sugar intake, even though you might not realize it at first.
Added sugars include maple syrup, agave syrup, and honey, even though a lot of people think these are natural sugars. That’s because they’re added to other foods in order to make those foods sweeter.
Other examples of added sugars are corn syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, and high fructose corn syrup, along with any other caloric sweetener.
Be Wise, and Reduce Your Sugar Intake
No one is saying you need to cut out sugar completely from your diet. Instead, focus on everything in moderation. Remember the guidelines above when figuring out what foods to eat, and which ones to avoid, in order to stay within a healthy range when it comes to how much sugar you consume daily.
The obesity epidemic is still making headlines, but there is another topic that more people should be aware of: the problems that come with high sugar intake. A lot of health pros have found that Americans’ sugar intake is far too high, and might even be an epidemic itself, so it’s important to be aware of how much sugar is too much.
Let’s Look at Some Numbers
Here are some interesting facts to consider:
Why It’s Important to Reduce Your Sugar Intake
What’s the big deal about getting so much sugar from your diet? Well, when you consume too much added sugar, you run the risk of becoming obese, of developing heart disease or diabetes, and of dying early. Scary, but true!
Added Sugar vs. Natural Sugar
Remember, there are sugars in a lot of the foods that you eat, so it isn’t enough to just avoid the soda and stop yourself from adding sugar to your coffee.
Be Wise, and Reduce Your Sugar Intake
No one is saying you need to cut out sugar completely from your diet. Instead, focus on everything in moderation. Remember the guidelines above when figuring out what foods to eat, and which ones to avoid, in order to stay within a healthy range when it comes to how much sugar you consume daily.
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