Consuming too much sugar increases the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Limiting added sugar to under 10% of your daily caloric intake can support better health.1
On average, people in the United States consume about 17 teaspoons of added sugar every day.2 The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend that adults limit added sugars to no more than 10 grams per meal.1
The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests adults limit added sugars to no more than 6% of total daily calories. This is 6-9 teaspoons, or about 30 grams of sugar, for a 2,000-calorie diet.2..To Read The Full Content; Tap Here Now .
Read the Nutrition Label
You can check the natural and added sugar content of a food by reading the nutrition label:
Total sugar: This number includes both natural and added sugars.
Added sugars: This number will either be the same or lower than the total sugar. If it equals the total sugar, this means that all the sugar in that product is added sugar. A product might contain 10 grams of total sugar, but only 1 gram of it is added sugar.
Your body generally processes all forms of sugar in the same way, with a few exceptions.
Carbohydrates in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains contain a variety of starches, including complex carbohydrates and fiber that break down into sugar.
These foods have fiber and other nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, so they digest more slowly, which prevents blood glucose (sugar) spikes.3
Your body also produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) to digest fiber in complex carbohydrates. SCFAs can promote gut health because they’re fermented in the colon and feed beneficial gut bacteria.4
Table sugar and other sweeteners, on the other hand, are processed, simple carbohydrates. They are more likely to cause a blood sugar spike.3 Added sugar includes fructose, honey, maple syrup, agave, and more.
Sugar—especially natural sugar—is fine in moderation. However, excess sugar intake means excess calories, which can cause weight gain.
Excess body fat is associated with many health conditions, including:5
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Heart disease
Sleep apnea, a chronic (long-term) breathing disorder that causes your breathing to stop and restart repeatedly while you sleep
Osteoarthritis, a joint condition that occurs when the cartilage—the connective tissue surrounding the bones—around a joint gradually breaks down over time
Chronic pain
Cancer
Dental Caries (Tooth Decay)
Sugars, particularly added sugars, are a key risk factor for developing dental caries—also known as tooth decay, or cavities.
Consuming less than 10% of total calories from added sugars greatly decreases the risk of tooth decay and cavities.6
Foods with natural sugars—like milk and fruit—may not pose the same risk to dental health, due to their fiber, water, calcium, and antioxidants.6
Heart Disease
Added sugars have been linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. However, the relationship isn’t as concrete as you might think.
Some research found a strong relationship between added sugar intake and CVD risk, particularly when it comes to sugar-sweetened beverages.7 Other studies had mixed results.8
These differences could be because most studies are observational. This can make it difficult to determine cause and effect.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is often associated with sugar and other carbohydrates. You do want to be mindful of your sugar intake if you already have diabetes, as this can help prevent blood glucose spikes.
However, it’s not so straightforward if you’re trying to prevent the disease. Research regarding added sugars and diabetes risk is largely inconclusive.9
Diabetes risk factors include genetics, a sedentary lifestyle, and being over 45 years old. Added sugar consumption is not considered a primary risk factor.10
Sugary drinks are linked with type 2 diabetes, so it’s recommended to limit these beverages in favor of water whenever possible.11
Consuming added sugars in addition to solid fats and excess calories has been linked with type 2 diabetes. It may not be added sugars alone that increase the risk of diabetes.12
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition in which excess fat builds up in your liver. It’s one of the most common causes of liver disease in the U.S.13
There’s some evidence that eating a lot of added fructose—often found in sugar-sweetened beverages—can increase your risk of NAFLD.1415
Research on NAFLD and sugar largely focuses on sugar-sweetened beverages. One 2019 study found a significant association between higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and NAFLD.16
Again, these studies are largely observational. They suggest an association between added fructose and NAFLD, but they don’t show clear evidence that fructose causes NAFLD. Many factors can increase your risk of developing NAFLD, including type 2 diabetes and genetics.17
Beverages are the most common source of added sugars. This includes soft drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, coffee, and tea. These beverages account for about 50% of all added sugars.18
Foods like candy, desserts, and other sweet snacks are more obviously high in sugar, but some high-sugar foods might surprise you.
Some of the most common food sources of added sugars are:1918
Sandwiches
Breakfast cereals and bars
Sweetened yogurt
For example, one serving of a popular vanilla Greek yogurt contains around 9 grams of added sugars.20 Sandwiches account for 7% of people’s added sugar intake. Sugar is often used as a preservative in bread or condiments.18
Since many people consume more added sugars than the guidelines recommend, you may be wondering how to be more mindful of your sugar intake.
Start by considering which high-sugar foods you consume most often. Then, consider how you might still enjoy the foods and drinks you love while minimizing added sugar.
Here are some ideas:
Request less sweetener (or no sweetener) in your go-to coffee order.
Focus on lower-sugar drinks like water, unsweetened tea, milk, or low-sugar dairy-free milk, and sparkling water.
Eat a variety of foods that have fiber, protein, and healthy fat throughout the day to stop sugary food cravings in the evening.
Choose snacks like whole fruit, nuts, seeds, veggies, and hummus rather than relying on high-sugar, more processed options.
Prioritize products free of added sugars when possible—for example, buy yogurts, nut and seed butters without added sugar.
Purchase unsweetened products and sweeten them yourself with fruit or a little bit of honey or other sweetener.