How Much Sugar a Day is Too Much?

One hundred and fifty-six pounds.

That’s how much added sugar Americans consume each year on a per capita basis, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

But how do we get all that sugar in our food even when we think we are making good choices?? I hear that daily when talking with my clients, “ I really do make good choices, but don’t understand how I just can’t drop the weight and feel energized!”

Sugars are great at playing hide and seek. It loves to hide in unsuspecting area like some types of crackers, yogurt, ketchup, salad dressing, bread ketchup, and even baby foods. Sugar even goes undercover by using a different name- high fructose corn syrup of HFCS. The use of HFCS has increased by 3.5% per year in the last decade, according to the World health Organization (WHO), which is twice the rate of refined and brown sugar.

Where is the s156# of sugar coming from?! The U.S. diet is the major source of “added sugar.” This added sugar is not including the sugar form natural sources like fructose from fruit, but this added sugar is from the hidden sugar we maybe missing in our food choices.

So what’s the big problem with a few added sugar molecules anyways?! After all sugar can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. The problem is the added calories the sugar sneaks in under the radar. Those extra calories can add up and lead us straight to bigger health concerns like diabetes and obesity.

Next time you are at the store, or even next time you open your pantry check out the sugar in your products. 10- 13gm is the cut off limit per serving. Just for fun pick up your yogurt and/or salad dressing to see if it fits this limit.