What is the average sugar intake

Added sugar is the main ingredient in candy and abundant in many processed foods, such as soft drinks and baked products. The most common added sugars are regular table sugar sucrose and high fructose corn syrup. To optimize your health, do your best to avoid foods that contain added sugars.

Even the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories per day 2. Also, remember that added sugars can also include natural sugars. For instance, if you add honey to your oatmeal, your oatmeal contains added sugar from a natural source. In , people in the United States were consuming over 60 pounds 28 kg of added sugar per year — and this does not include fruit juices 3.

In , the average adult intake was 77 grams per day 4. Excess sugar consumption has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, tooth decay, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and more 5 , 6 , 7 , 8.

Excessive sugar intake is common. It has been linked to various lifestyle diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Some people can eat a lot of sugar without harm, while others should avoid it as much as possible. To put that into perspective, one ounce mL can of Coke contains calories from sugar, while a regular-sized Snickers bar contains calories from sugar.

For a person eating 2, calories per day, this would equal 50 grams of sugar, or about The American Heart Association advises men to get no more than calories from added sugar per day and women to get no more than calories. Sugary, highly processed foods stimulate the same areas in the brain as illegal drugs For this reason, sugar can cause people to lose control over their consumption.

In the same way that a smoker needs to avoid cigarettes completely, someone addicted to sugar may need to avoid sugar completely. Instead of sugar in recipes, you can try things like cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract, vanilla, ginger, or lemon. Try to be creative and find recipes online. You can eat an endless variety of amazing foods even if you eliminate all sugar from your diet. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers.

See our editorial policies and staff. Eat Smart. American Heart Association Cookbooks. Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. How does the body react to so much sugar? Men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons 36 grams or calories of added sugar per day.

For women , the number is lower: 6 teaspoons 25 grams or calories per day. Consider that one ounce can of soda contains 8 teaspoons 32 grams of added sugar! Kroger Health. Nationally Sponsored by. Piling on the added sugar can lead to insulin resistance, and that can drive a whole host of problems like diabetes and coronary heart disease. Added sugars drive coronary heart disease via insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia: A new paradigm. Plus, just like booze, added sugar takes its toll on your liver.

Jensen T, et al. Fructose and sugar: A major mediator of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Then you can eat it only when you want to — like on a dessert date with a pal — rather than having it show up uninvited in your afternoon snack. These 27 ideas for using leftover wine prove that it's both satisfying and resourceful.

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