Added Sugars and How to Avoid Them
Article by: Brenda Savage NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
Even if we forgo the cookies, cakes and other sweet treats to reduce our sugar intake, we are probably still eating more sugar than we realize.
The average American eats up to 22 teaspoons (or ~90 grams) of added sugar per day, according to the American Heart Association. You’re likely not adding that much sugar to food yourself, so could you really be eating that much? “Well, yes”, says Erin Gager, R.D., L.D.N., a dietitian at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, “because sugar is in a lot more foods than you may think.”
*The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar consumption to 25 grams (about six teaspoons) per day for women and 36 grams (about nine teaspoons) per day for men.
According to Robert Lustig, MD, MSL in his book Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease “sugar is now the most ubiquitous foodstuff worldwide, and has been added to virtually every processed food, limiting consumer choice and the ability to avoid it. Approximately 80 percent of the 6,000,000 consumer packaged foods in the United States have added caloric sweeteners”.
Health Risks of Excess Sugar
This extra sugar may be adding to your waistline as well as putting your metabolic health at risk. Research shows that excess sugar consumption can be associated with an increased risk of most of the chronic diseases that plague us today, including cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and Type 2 diabetes to name a few.
Know the Names for Sugar
Sugar is found naturally in many nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables. There are more than 60 names for added sugar, so you have to be a bit more savvy with locating foods that contain sugar. Check the Nutrition Facts label for Total Sugar grams and Added Sugar grams. The specific types of added sweeteners will be shown in the ingredients list. Look to see if:
it has syrup (examples: corn syrup, rice syrup)
the word ends in “ose” (examples: fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose)
“sugar” is in the name (examples: raw sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, confectionary sugar)
Other examples of added sugar include fruit nectars, concentrates of juices, honey, agave and molasses.
4 Items With Hidden Sugar
Some foods that most people would consider “healthy” may actually have a lot of added sugar in them, such as:
Breakfast cereal
Just because it says “whole grain” or “fortified with vitamins and minerals” doesn’t mean there’s no sugar.
Tip: Try to choose a cereal with 10–12 grams or less of sugar per serving. Granola and granola bars can be heavy sources of added sugars, so check their labels.
Yogurt
If you like flavored yogurt, check the nutrition facts label. You may be shocked at the amount of sugar you are eating.
Tip: Opt for whole milk, plain yogurt and add your own fruit!
Condiments
Ketchup, barbecue sauce, hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings and relish all have added sugars.
Beverages
Research shows that consuming even moderate levels of fruit juice and sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages is associated with a higher risk of coronary artery disease in adults without a history of cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes.
Tip: Avoid juices, carbonated beverages, flavored milks and sports drinks. Instead, opt for water, plain or sparkling, with a few citrus slices!
For more information please visit: sugarscience.ucsf.edu
“SugarScience is the authoritative source for evidence-based, scientific information about sugar and its impact on health”