Studies show that people who consume too much added sugar are at increased risk for high blood pressure, low cholesterol, and elevated levels of inflammation , a root cause of many chronic conditions. Keep in mind that the natural sugars found in fruits (fructose) and dairy (lactose) are not problematic. The added sugar that we consume every day is what really damages our health, that white, brown and syrupy ingredient that is incorporated into food during processing.
Health professionals strongly state that the added sugar that we consume daily to processed foods is harmful , but they affirm that the natural sweetness of milk and fruit is quite good, with the exception of juice.
It is recommended that more than 11% of a person’s daily calories do not come from added sugar or 10% if we take alcohol into account. That equates to about 50g of sugars for a woman and 70g for a man, depending on how active the person is.
Intake of added sugar can be presented in teaspoons, grams, and calories. The dietary guidelines recommend that the daily intake of added sugar represents no more than 10% of total calories . On a 2,000 calorie diet, this translates into: 12 teaspoons, 50 g and 200 kcals, 10% of total daily calories.
The age groups that consume the most added sugar are young people between 11 and 18 years old, who obtain most of their daily energy from sweet products , which means that a total of 15% of their daily calories is added sugar. Adults are more restrained, only exceeding 11% of their total daily intake.
Where does most of the added sugar we consume each day come from?
Soft drinks are the largest source of added sugar for young people, with children ages 11 to 18 getting 42% of their daily intake of this sugar from these products.
Sweets, chocolate, and jams account for 19-22% of children’s added sugar intake, as they also get a large proportion of that sugar from cereals, including cakes and cookies.
For adults between 19 and 64 years old, the main sources are also confectionery products, jams, soft drinks and cereals. Alcohol adds another 10%.
Health effects of the added sugar we consume daily
Scientists are still investigating whether there are direct causal links between high sugar intake and weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases.
What is known is that, along with the added sugar we consume each day and lack of exercise, it can lead to obesity, and this disease is a risk factor for other conditions.
Among young children, the proportion of obese has decreased, but activists say that much remains to be done to reduce the amount of sugar children eat.
Tip to reduce the amount of added sugar daily
Cook more frequently and you will naturally decrease the amount of sugar you eat . Even if you use a little sugar in your cooking, it will be much less than what you are likely to consume from a convenience or restaurant meal.
