The truth about sugar: how much is too much and how to cut down on your intake

Sugar is a sweet substance that is found naturally in fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products. It is also added to many processed foods and drinks to enhance their flavor, texture, or shelf life. Sugar can provide energy and pleasure to our taste buds, but consuming too much of it can have negative effects on our health.

How much sugar is too much?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults and children should reduce their intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total daily energy intake. On average, this equals about 12 teaspoons (50 grams) of sugar per day for an adult. Free sugars refer to monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.

Reducing your intake to less than 5% of total energy intake (6 teaspoons or 25g) would provide even more health benefits. However, this may be difficult to achieve for many people, especially those who consume a lot of processed foods and drinks that contain hidden sugars. For example, 1 tablespoon of ketchup contains around 4 grams (around 1 teaspoon) of free sugars. A single can of sugar-sweetened soda contains up to 40 grams (around 10 teaspoons) of free sugars.

What are the health risks of too much sugar?

Eating too much sugar can contribute to weight gain, obesity, and related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Excess sugar consumption can also cause tooth decay, inflammation, and fatty liver disease.

Some of the ways that sugar can harm your health are:

• Sugar provides calories with no added nutrients and can displace more nutritious foods from your diet.
• Sugar can increase your appetite and cravings for more sweet foods, making it harder to control your calorie intake and weight.
• Sugar can raise your blood glucose levels quickly and then drop them sharply, causing energy spikes and crashes.
• Sugar can interfere with your insulin sensitivity and metabolism, leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
• Sugar can increase your triglycerides, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke.
• Sugar can promote inflammation in your body, which can contribute to chronic diseases and aging.
• Sugar can feed the harmful bacteria in your mouth, causing plaque, cavities, and gum disease.
• Sugar can overload your liver and cause it to store excess fat, leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

How to cut down on your sugar intake?

The best way to reduce your sugar intake is to limit or avoid foods and drinks that contain added sugars, such as soft drinks, candy, baked goods, cereals, sauces, and desserts. You can also check the nutrition labels and ingredients lists of the products you buy and choose those with less or no added sugars. Look for words like sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, honey, molasses, agave, and maple syrup, which are all forms of added sugars.

You can also try some of these tips to cut down on your sugar intake:

• Drink water, unsweetened tea, or coffee instead of sugary beverages.
• Add fresh or frozen fruits, cinnamon, vanilla, or other spices to your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies instead of sugar or honey.
• Use natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit, erythritol, or xylitol, which are low or zero calorie and do not affect your blood sugar levels as much as sugar.
• Bake your own treats using whole wheat flour, oats, nuts, seeds, and fruits, and reduce the amount of sugar or use sugar alternatives in your recipes.
• Snack on fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cheese, or plain yogurt instead of candy, cookies, or cakes².
• Enjoy dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content, which has less sugar and more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate.
• Limit your alcohol intake, as alcoholic drinks can contain a lot of sugar and calories.
• Eat balanced meals that include protein, fiber, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates, which can help you feel full and satisfied and reduce your cravings for sugar.

Summary

Sugar is a sweet substance that can provide energy and pleasure, but consuming too much of it can have negative effects on your health. The WHO recommends limiting your intake of free sugars to less than 10% of your total daily energy intake, and preferably to less than 5%. You can reduce your sugar intake by avoiding or limiting foods and drinks that contain added sugars, checking the nutrition labels and ingredients lists of the products you buy, and using natural sweeteners or sugar alternatives. You can also eat more nutritious foods that can help you control your appetite and blood sugar levels, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. By cutting down on your sugar intake, you can improve your health and well-being.