Is Your Sugar Intake Adding Up?

Is Your Sugar Intake Adding Up?

Let’s be honest, we are all excited around this time of year for the festive holiday drinks and sweet treats. In the spirit of the season, indulging in some sweet treats here and there will not hurt anyone. However, if you’re not careful, you can quickly overdo it on added sugar. For example, stopping by Starbucks for their seasonal favorites such as a 

• 16 oz. Peppermint Mocha (54 g of added sugar)

• 1 Reindeer Cake Pop (14g of added sugar)

totals to 68 grams of added sugar. Adhering to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, added sugars should be less than 10% of calories per day. Based on 2,000 calories per day, this would be 50 grams of added sugar. This means someone following 2,000 calories a day, may want to rethink their choices at Starbucks. If you’re still wanting to enjoy the cake pop, choose a drink that contains lower amounts of added sugar, such as trying the new Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte (25 g of added sugars), which would total to 39 grams of sugar instead of 68 grams. However, even with consuming 39 grams that only leaves 11 grams remaining for the day to meet 10% of total calories per day and added sugars can be easily hidden in some foods that you may not have realized. 

Hidden Sources of Added Sugars

• Whole-grain cereals and granola

• Cereal bars and protein bars

• Pasta sauces

• Salad dressings

• Sauces like BBQ, ketchup, teriyaki 

• Fruit juices (from concentrate), canned fruit, applesauce, dried fruit

• Frozen foods 

• Baby food

Common Sources of Added Sugars

• Sugary sweetened beverages (soda, lemonade, fruit punch, energy drinks, some teas and coffees)

• Candy 

• Sweetened cereal

• Flavored yogurts

• Flavored instant oatmeal

• Baked goods (cakes, cookies, pastries, pies) 

What are Added Sugars?

• Added sugars do not refer to sugars naturally found in foods. Instead, added sugars are sugars or other sweeteners that are added to foods and drinks when they are processed or prepared. Examples of adding sugar to foods are breads, cereals, and salad dressings. Added sugars can come in several different forms of sugar and can be tricky to spot in ingredient lists of Nutrition Facts Labels. Here is a list to help you identify some: 

  • Brown sugar

  • Cane juice 

  • Confectioner’s powdered sugar

  • Corn sweetener

  • Dextrose

  • Fructose

  • Fruit nectar

  • Glucose

  • High-fructose corn syrup

  • Honey

  • Lactose

  • Malt syrup

  • Maple syrup

  • Molasses

  • Raw sugar

  • Sugar cane

  • White granulated sugar

Why Limit or Reduce Added Sugar Intake?

• Can contribute to weight gain, obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, increased inflammation, and oxidative stress

Tips to Reduce Added Sugar Intake 

• Read ingredient lists and Nutrition Facts Labels

• Choose food and/or drink options that have little no added sugars

• Try cooking meals from scratch to control the ingredients and amounts used

• Choose whole fruits and vegetables

• Choose non-flavored milks or non-dairy milks 

• Choose 100% juice instead of from concentrate

Bottom line is you don’t have to give up added sugars completely as there are some enjoyable and tasty foods and drinks that contain them. Increasing your knowledge and awareness on added sugars can help you make informed choices easier and maintain optimal health.