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Just a Little Bit of Sugar

Excess sugar intake has been linked to the growing obesity epidemic and related illnesses. But how much is too much? The government’s Dietary Guidelines simply advise Americans to limit how much they consume. Now, for the first time, the American Heart Association has proposed specific guidelines: Most women should consume no more than 25 grams (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugars a day; most men, no more than 37.5 grams (about 9 teaspoons). With 4 calories per gram of sugar, that’s no more than 100 calories of added sugars for women, and no more than 150 for men.

It’s easy to exceed these limits—and most Americans do. A 16-ounce bottle of soda has about 44 grams (11 teaspoons) of added sugar, and many people drink a lot more than that. In fact, the average American consumes about 90 grams (22 teaspoons) of added sugars a day—355 calories’ worth—mostly from sodas, but also from other sweetened beverages (including fruit drinks), desserts, candy, and breakfast cereals. Many other foods, even ketchup, have sugar added to them as well (see list below).

“Good” vs. “bad” sugars?

Of course, some sugars occur naturally in foods—lactose in milk and fructose in fruit, for instance. These sugars are okay, since they are accompanied by healthful substances in the foods. But nutrition labels do not distinguish between natural and added sugars. To tell if sugar has been added, check the ingredient list for any form of sugar (including brown, raw, or invert) and/or “syrup” (including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or malt syrup). Watch out also for honey, molasses, agave nectar, evaporated cane juice, and fruit juice concentrate, which sound healthier but are just other forms of “empty” sugar calories.

How sweet it is (not)

Even foods like yogurt and baked beans may be loaded with extra sugar, beyond the sugar naturally in them. Sugar content varies among brands; the amounts below are averages. Many people consume more than the serving sizes listed. For example, we list a cola as 8 ounces, but soda cans are 12 ounces and bottles are 16 ounces or larger.

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, November 2009