In fact, between 1987 and 1997, consumption of “added sugar” in the United States grew 20%. This trend is also being seen in the developing world, according to the WHO.
That’s one reason both the United Nations and the World Health Organization released guidelines in 2003 that say sugar should account for no more than 10% of daily calories. In a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that’s just 200 calories -- or eight heaping teaspoons of table sugar at 25 calories each. A single can of regular soda, with the equivalent of 10 teaspoons, would put you over.
“Our body fat depends on total calorie intake, not on a particular
source of calories.”
But some take issue with the reports of our rising sugar consumption. The Sugar Association, a trade group of sugar producers and growers, maintains that the average American consumes no more than 1.6 ounces, or about 9 teaspoons, of added sugar per day.
When the USDA says that we each consume 150 pounds of sugar a year, that figure refers to 'economic consumption,'" says Clark. "That's an estimate of all caloric sweeteners available for sale in a year, but only a fraction of that is for human consumption. The rest goes into export markets, pet foods, alcohol manufacturing, waste and storage, and the like."
No doubt, national estimates of food consumption are subject to much interpretation. But in the real world of everyday eating decisions, what foods should we avoid and what foods should we enjoy to maintain healthy weight?
“Our body fat depends on total calorie intake, not on a particular source of calories,” says Crawley. “Of course the tip of the food pyramid [the category that includes sugar and oil] is where most of the empty calories are found, so minimizing choices from there will help.”
If you want to avoid hidden sugar:
- Read food labels. Ingredients are listed in order of volume, so anything with sugar, corn syrup, glucose (or, in general, words ending in “-ose”) near the top of the list is likely to be high in sugar.
- When you do choose a product with added sugar, watch your portion size.
- Simply avoid processed foods as much as you can -- especially sodas and other sweetened beverages.
And what about artificial sweeteners? While they can be useful in weight maintenance, use them sparingly, says Crawley. All sweeteners have little nutritional value,” she said. “I prefer to use a minimum of all of them.” That’s great, but what if you still crave sweets? Fresh fruit is always your best bet, but if it just won’t do the trick, the Sugar Association has a few suggestions:
- Angel food cake topped with fruit.
- Frozen fruit ices and sorbets.
- Low-fat frozen yogurt.
- Fruit shakes made with low-fat milk.
Published December 16, 2003.
Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD.
SOURCES: Connie Crawley, nutrition and health specialist, College of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens. Kristine Clark, PhD, RD, director of sports nutrition, Pennsylvania State University, State College. Jule Anne Henstenberg, RD, director, Nutrition Program, La Salle University, Philadelphia. The Sugar Association. American Dietetic Association. WebMD Medical News: "Sugary Foods Making Us Fat."
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