Are you eating too much sugar? With added sugar abundant in many of our foods, chances are you are eating too much. My latest article for Anton Newspapers focuses on simple ways to cut down on added sugars. Read a short excerpt from the article below:
Are added sugars sabotaging your healthy eating efforts? Excess added sugar consumption has been linked to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes in America. The biggest sources of added sugars are soda, energy drinks, and desserts. But even if you aren’t eating ice cream sandwiches all day long, you may not realize the hidden added sugars that you are consuming on a regular basis.
There are two main types of sugars in the diet—naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. Naturally occurring sugars are found naturally in foods like fruit or milk. Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are put into foods and beverages when they are being processed or prepared. Added sugars provide zero nutritional value, and unfortunately, boost the caloric content of foods. Empty calories in added sugars can lead to unnecessary weight gain and poor glycemic control.
The American Heart Association provides daily added sugar limits for men and women. Specifically, women are advised to consume no more than 6 teaspoons or 25 grams of added sugar per day; men are advised to consume no more than nine teaspoons or 36 grams of added sugar per day. To help put things in perspective, one can of cola soda has eight teaspoons of added sugar. Research shows that Americans are far exceeding these guidelines, consuming about 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day.
By 2021, all food labels will be required to list added sugars under the total sugars potion of the label. This specification will help consumers identify the portion of added sugars in a food, and distinguish how much of the sugar in the food is natural. Try your best to become a food label “detective” and really dive into the nutrition label. When looking at the ingredients list, make sure you aren’t missing any potential sweeteners. Names for added sugars on labels include, but are not limited to ...
Read the full article here:
Xoxo,
Stef