How Much Sugar is Too Much?
It’s official!
Organizations and governments are (finally) declaring a maximum amount of daily sugar intake.
While this is a
step forward, there are still a few problems. One - they don’t all agree with
each other. And, two, I don’t necessarily
agree with them either.
We all know sugar
is NOT a health food. It isn’t full of nutrition, and excess consumption is not associated with
great health.
The problem is that
sugar is everywhere. It’s naturally occurring. It’s also added to just about
every processed food there is. And this “added sugar” is a factor in many
chronic diseases we see today. Sugar is inflammatory. Too much is associated with weight
gain, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and cavities. Too much sugar is a huge
health risk, no matter how you look at it.
So let’s talk about
how much sugar is “too much.”
Added sugar vs.
naturally occurring sugar. What do some of the officials say?
Before we talk
about the “official” numbers (and why I don’t agree with them), you need to
know the difference between “added” sugar and “naturally occurring” sugar.
Fruit and other
healthy whole foods contain sugar. They also contain water, fiber, vitamins,
minerals, and other phytochemicals.
They are good for
you. Eating fruits and vegetables is a well-proven way to reduce your risks of
many chronic diseases.
“Added sugars,” on the other hand, are
concerning. In 2013, the American Heart Association calculated that about
25,000 deaths per year were due to sweetened beverages. “Added sugars” are also
in baked goods, candies, soups, sauces and other processed foods. You can find
sugar on the ingredient list as many names, often ending in “-ose.” These include
glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.
So, "Total
sugars" = "Naturally occurring sugars" + "Added
sugars."
The
"official" change is the new Nutrition Facts tables. You may remember
that in Canada and the USA, they declare the amount of sugar, but don't give it
a %DV (% daily
value); this means, they've never had a "benchmark" maximum daily
value to use. They haven't declared how much is too much. Now, both countries
are implementing a %DV
for sugar.
In Canada, the %DV is based on 100 g/day of total sugar. Unfortunately, this number
is large because it includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. The %DV
is in-line with the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation's recommendations of
no more than 90 g of total sugars per day.
In 2008, the
average daily total sugar intake in the USA was 76.7 grams per day; this is
less than these two benchmarks. Yet, it doesn't seem that people are getting
healthier. I'd argue that 100 g per day total sugar is
still too high.
In the USA, the
labels are changing too. They are not declaring "total" sugars but
will differentiate between naturally
occurring and added sugars. They have decided on a maximum of 50 g of “added” sugars each
day. Unfortunately,
this is still more than the American Heart Association’s recommended maximum of
24 g/day added sugar
for women, and 36 g/day
added sugar for men.
What is a better
daily sugar goal?
While these
official numbers are a step in the right direction, they’re not what I would
recommend.
For one thing, I’d ditch as
many processed food as possible, regardless of their sugar content. There are a
ton of studies that show that processed foods are bad for your health. Period.
I wouldn’t recommend eating your “daily value” of sugar from sweetened
processed foods. I don’t recommend even 50 g of "added" sugar per day. Get your
sugar from whole, unprocessed fruits first.
Second, you don’t
even need to max out your daily sugar intake. I promise! Try to reduce your
sugar intake below these “official” amounts for an even better goal.
Tips to reduce
your sugar intake
Here are some of my
most popular recommendations to reduce your sugar intake, so you don't get too
much:
●
Reduce (or eliminate)
sugar-sweetened beverages; this includes soda pop, sweetened coffee/tea, sports
drinks, etc. Instead, have fruit-infused water. Or try drinking your coffee/tea
"black" or with a touch of cinnamon or vanilla instead.
●
Reduce (or eliminate) your
desserts and baked goods and bake your own instead. You can easily reduce the sugar in
a recipe by half. Or try my delicious (no added sugar) dessert recipe below.
●
Instead of a granola bar (or other
sugary snack), try fruit, a handful of nuts, or veggies with hummus. These are
easy grab-and-go snacks if you prepare them in a “to-go” container the night
before.
Let me know in the
comments your favorite tips to reduce your sugar intake!
Recipe (No added
sugar): Frosty
Serves 1
¾ cup almond milk (unsweetened)
½ tsp vanilla
extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder
(unsweetened)
½ banana, frozen
Ice cubes
Instructions
Add everything into
a blender except ice. Blend.
Add a handful of
ice cubes and pulse until thick and ice is blended.
Serve & enjoy!
Tip:
Double the recipe to share.
Dedicated To Your Success,
John Heary, CFT, SFN, PFTS, MMACC, CUSC, CCFT
Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition
Certified Physique and Figure Trainer Specialist
Certified Mixed Martial Arts Conditioning Coach
Certified Underground Strength Coach
Certified Fitranx Instructor
Certified TRX Instructor
Certified Corporate Fitness Trainer
Certified Spartan SGX Coach
Certified Weightlifting Performance Coach
(716) 545-4090
References:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Added-Sugars_UCM_305858_Article.jsp#.WXYtbYjys2w
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-break-the-sugar-habit-and-help-your-health-in-the-process
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