How much sugar should you eat per day?

We know, we already know!

Americans consume far too much sugar and overdoing it with sweets puts you at a higher risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. No bueno! Experts point out that there is nothing wrong with foods in which sugar is naturally present (think, fruits and milk), but with too much added sugar (it would be in sodas and other drinks, cookies and cakes, and even random places like ketchup and salad dressing.) is what Americans absorb more than the 200 or so calories from sugar that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a healthy limit. (This is based on a 2000 calorie diet, so if you eat more than 1600 calories, up to 160 of those calories can come from added sugar.)

Other medical groups think you should aim for even less: the American Heart Association, for example, advises women not to consume more than 100 calories per day (6 teaspoons) from added sugars, while men should not aim for more than 150 calories (9 teaspoons).

But while the need for Americans in general to cut back is clear, there are other puzzling fictions about sugar. Here’s what you need to know.

Myth #1: Some sugars are healthier than others.

Not really. Agave, maple syrup, organic raw sugar, and table sugar are all similar when it comes to health effects, says Kelly Pritchett, Ph.D., RDN, associate professor of nutrition at Central Washington University. On the glycemic index, which measures the impact of a carbohydrate on blood sugar, maple syrup reaches 54 – nearly 65 for table sugar. Agave is lower, at 19, but it’s high in fructose, which is linked to metabolic syndrome and hypertension.

Research suggests that fructose (also found in high fructose corn syrup) is responsible for most of the negative health effects of sugar, says University researcher Kimber Stanhope, Ph.D., RD. from California to Davis. “Organic” simply means that the sugar cane or sugar beets have been grown without pesticides. “Raw” means that the natural molasses has not been extracted – so raw sugar, although technically “less processed,” has the same nutritional profile as regular sugar.

Myth #2: Sugar should be avoided at all costs.

Not necessary, thank goodness. Sugar shouldn’t be an integral part of your diet, but you don’t have to cut it out entirely, says Marion Nestle, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at New York University. USDA guidelines recommend that you get less than 10% of your calories from sweets, which is tricky, as sugar sneaks into surprising items like salad dressings, pasta sauces, and yogurt.

Too much can increase your risk for obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and possibly cancer. A 2017 study in Clinical science has shown that just three months on a high-sugar diet increased the risk of heart disease in healthy people. Instead of going cold in the turkey, take it slow to wean your body of excess added sugar, says the Good Housekeeping Institute dietitian nutritionist Stefani Sassos. You will re-educate your taste buds so that they are content with less sweetness after a few weeks.

Myth #3: It’s a good idea to swap juice for soda.

Not really. One ounce for one ounce, fruit juice contains roughly the same amount of sugar as Mountain Dew. In fact, experts say no one should drink more than
8 ounces of juice per day. A study in the journal BMJ has been shown that all sugary drinks, including 100% fruit juice, significantly increase the risk of cancer. Another study, published in JAMA network open, have shown that fruit juices, like soda, increase the risk of overall death. Your healthiest solution is definitely water. To brighten up, try adding a few slices of orange or lemon for a fruity, sugar-free taste. If you must have juice, “make orange juice out of it – at least it has nutrients,” Stanhope says. But stick to a little glass.

Myth #4: Eating too much sugar gives you diabetes.

Sugar can affect the management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but it does not directly cause either form of the disease. “Being overweight is the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and sugar encourages overeating,” says Nestlé. In other words, a diet high in calories from any source – not just sugar – contributes to weight gain, which increases your risk of metabolic dysfunction and type 2 diabetes. The disease accounts for about 90% of the 463 million adult cases worldwide in 2019, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, is an autoimmune disease in which the body mistakenly destroys its own insulin-producing cells. A person with this form of diabetes needs to work closely with a doctor to manage their medications and make the lifestyle changes needed to regulate blood sugar (one of which can eat less sugar).

Myth #5: A big sweet treat means a big sugar rush.

The opposite seems to be true: A 2019 review by researchers at Humboldt University in Germany found that instead of providing a quick boost, sugar made people more lethargic and less focused within an hour. their consumption. “The ‘sugar rush’ myth can be traced to studies suggesting that carbohydrate consumption could make children hyperactive, an idea that has been repeatedly debunked,” says Konstantinos Mantantzis, postdoctoral researcher at Humboldt. In other words, if your child seems taken aback after the party, it’s probably the excitement – not the cupcakes – that is to blame.

This article originally appeared in the January 2021 issue of Prevention.

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