What’s the Deal with Added Sugars?

Added sugars are sugars or syrups that are added to food or beverages when they are processed or prepared. They are different from natural sugars which, as their name implies, are found naturally in foods like fruit (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). Sports drinks, energy drinks, sodas, fruit drinks (like fruit punch), sauces and condiments (like ketchup), sugary cereals and grains, and desserts are some of the most common items with added sugars.

Added sugars may make food taste better but eating too much can also lead to weight gain as well as increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Sugar contains calories, but no nutrients. Therefore, it is important to watch how much sugar we eat.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than...

• Men:  9 tsp (36 grams or 150 calories) each day
• Women: 6 tsp (25 grams or 100 calories) each day

Just one 12 oz can of soda has about 9 tsp (38 grams or 152 calories) of added sugar. If your heart could talk, it would say to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with healthier foods. Try drinking a low-calorie soda, unsweetened or lightly sweetened tea, or lemon with water instead of regular soda. For dessert, try having a yogurt parfait with plain yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit instead of ice cream. This will help satisfy your sweet tooth, save you calories, and keep your heart healthy!

You can tell if a food has added sugars by looking at the ingredients list. Names for added sugars include cane sugar, raw sugar, dextrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), honey, and molasses. The current food label does not differentiate between added and natural sugars. In the ‘Sugars’ row, the Nutrition Facts Panel reflects the total amount of sugar. However, the new food label will include a row dedicated solely to ‘Added Sugars’.