The Truth about Sugars

Sugars are chemicals made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that taste sweet.⁹ They regulate homeostatic energy balance. Sugars are divided into groups, monosaccharides like fructose and glucose and disaccharides like sucrose, maltose, and lactose. Polysaccharides are long chain monosaccharides made up of starch, glycogen, and cellulose. The body breaks down these sugars and uses them for fuel. However, studies indicate too much sugar as well as the type of sugar, specifically high fructose corn syrup, can place individuals at risk for non-communicable diseases.

Today, the average adult consumes roughly 19 teaspoons of added sugars every day.⁹ That averages 60 pounds of added sugar each year.⁹ Individuals should consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar per day for women, nine teaspoons of sugar for men and three to six teaspoons of sugar for children.⁹ In spite of these recommendations, consumption of added sugar remains high, especially in the form of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Consumers often do not compensate for the high caloric content by consuming less food throughout the day. A single beverage may contain 34-47 grams of sugar per serving.⁴ However, for individuals who are conscious about obvious sugars in foods, reducing sugar intake in an already healthy diet can be tricky. For example, many sauces have 3-16 grams, flavored waters 10-25 grams, vegetable soups 8-24 grams, and industrial breads 8-12 grams.⁴