Americans Way Too Sweet on Sugar

Posted on August 30, 2009 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine

Too much of the sweet stuff is hard on your heart, says the American Heart Association. The AHA has released new recommendations urging Americans to dramatically reduce the amount of sugar in their diets to protect against heart disease.

According to the new guidelines, a healthy diet would include 25 grams per day of added sugar (sugar that is not naturally occurring in the food) for women, and 37.5 grams per day for men. Currently, the average American consumes around 90 grams of added sugar per day. This over-consumption of sugar has been linked to high rates of heart disease, as well as obesity, diabetes, strokes, and high blood pressure.

Soft drink companies came under fire from the AHA because sodas are the top sources of added sugar. The report reads: “Over the past 30 years, total calorie intake has increased by an average of 150 to 300 calories per day, and approximately 50 percent of this increase comes from liquid calories (primarily sugar-sweetened beverages).”

While soft drink manufacturers protested the report, doctors like Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, say that soft drinks will have to change their ingredient list if they want to stay popular with health-conscious consumers. He claims that sugary drinks “play a particular role in the obesity epidemic” and is advocating an extra tax on sugar-heavy soft drinks.

In order to cut your intake of added sugar, look at the ingredient list on your favorite foods. While manufacturers are not required to distinguish between natural and added sugar, if you see “syrup” on the list, you can be sure there is some extra sweetness mixed in.