The Not-So-Sweet Truth About Sugar

Love your sweets? Most Americans do, even though we know that sugar causes tooth decay and contributes to diabetes and obesity. But evidence is mounting that a diet high in sugar may be linked to other chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease.

In response, the American Heart Association (AHA) has updated its guidelines in a new scientific statement: Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health. Before, the AHA advised simply limiting sugar intake. Looking to be more proactive, the new guidelines state that:

• Added sweeteners (sugars that aren't naturally part of the food we eat) should not account for more than 100 calories a day for women or 150 calories for men.

For the average adult, that's roughly five to nine teaspoons, or 20 to 36 grams of added sugar per day. With about eight teaspoons of added sugar, a regular 12-ounce soft drink will put most women over the suggested daily limit.

Our love-affair with sugar
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Americans on average eat and drink about 22 teaspoons (335 calories) of sugar daily. That's almost a half cup of sugar a day, or about 130 to 140 pounds of sugar a year!

The data suggest that these calories take up 30 percent to 42 percent of total calorie intake. This added sugar contributes to an excess of "discretionary" calories. These are calories above and beyond what you need to maintain your current weight and provide adequate nutrients.

Soft drinks appear to be the biggest culprit of added sugar, followed by cookies, cakes, candy and pies. Emerging research shows that drinking soda is linked to increased overall calories, higher body weight and lower intake of essential nutrients.

Where sugar lurks
So where is all this sugar coming from? There are two forms of sugar in the food we eat.

• Naturally occurring sugars are found in fruits, veggies and dairy products (fructose and lactose).
• Added sugars are found in many processed foods, from soda, candy, cakes and cookies, to breakfast cereals, salad dressings, yogurts and breads.

A healthy, well-balanced diet contains mostly natural sugars, along with small amounts of added sugars, for taste. But food labels don't currently distinguish between the two. The nutrition info for skim milk or plain yogurt, for instance, lists 12 grams of sugar per serving. But this is from lactose, a natural sugar in milk. Pick up a fruited yogurt and the sugar amount jumps to 30 or 40 grams due to all the added sugars.

Label reading a must
You can find grams of sugar listed right under "carbohydrates" on the nutrition facts panel. If it's a dairy product or has some real fruit and/or vegetables, you can assume some of the sugar is natural.

You will know a product contains added sugars if you take a peek at the ingredient list. Be on the lookout for "hidden names" of added sugar, such as:

• Cane juice
• Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup
• Dextrin, dextrose
• Fructose
• Glucose, maltose, sucrose
• Honey
• Barley malt
• Turbinado
• Brown sugar
• Sucanat

Also know that sugar can lurk in places you may not expect, including fat-free foods. These may have more calories and sugar than their higher-fat counterparts.

Here are some examples of sugar amounts in everyday foods. Note that four grams of sugar is the same as one teaspoon.

Grams of sugar per serving:

So the next time you want to go for that sugar high, remember that a soda or candy bar may give you an energy jolt. The effect will be short-lived, though ... and not in the best interest of your long-term health.