Most of us know sugar should be avoided. Although we are aware sugar isn’t particularly healthy, this ingredient can be hard to resist. If you want to be more mindful about sugar consumption but aren’t sure where to start, recommended daily intakes of added sugars are worth checking out.
Read on to learn more.
What Are Added Sugars?
Added sugars can be divided into two groups. The first group is sugars that food manufacturers add to their products, and the second group is sugars that you add to your meals or drinks.
What makes added sugars so bad? To put it simply, they contain calories but don’t have any essential nutrients, and our body doesn’t need them. Added sugars pile on the natural sugars from fruits and dairy products and can often lead to insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease, and liver damage.
For these reasons, it’s essential to monitor how much added sugar we consume daily.
Recommended Daily Added Sugar Intake
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the recommended daily added sugar intake is 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men. That’s around six teaspoons for women and nine for men.
When we say “added sugar,” most of us think of sweets, ice creams, doughnuts, and chocolates. Unfortunately, this ingredient often hides in “healthy” foods as well. You can find it in cereal, dried fruit, popcorn, pasta sauces, etc.
Cut Out Added Sugars
If you want to reduce sugar intake, you should always check the food label before purchasing a product. Moreover, try to find healthier alternatives for candies and desserts. You’ll be surprised by how much healthier you’ll feel.
