Sugar is used to improve the taste of foods and beverages and to extend the shelf life of packaged food products. Sugar is found in unexpected food products. Ketchup, for example, contains more sugar than vanilla ice cream; so most of us get more sugar in our daily diets than we should. This can cause many health problems, according to the Mayo Clinic, starting with weight gain, not ending with tooth decay.
Rachel Fine, a registered dietitian at To the Pointe Nutrition in New York City, explains that sugar “A derivative of foods that contain carbohydrates, is required as an energy source for the body. The ideal sources of sugar are those found naturally in foods that contain other beneficial nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins and minerals found in fruits and dairy products, reports Al-Qabas daily.
“It is important to limit the amount of added sugar that we eat in packaged foods,” Fine tells Livestrong.com. People often forget the word added, and focus on sugar as a whole, which should not be considered an absolute evil, as the body depends on sugar as a source of energy. So, how much sugar should we eat?
The daily recommendations for added sugar, provided by the American Heart Association, do not include a minimum amount that should be consumed each day, but there is a maximum, according to the following:
► Women should limit their sugar intake to no more than 6 teaspoons per day, which provides about 100 calories.
► Men should limit their sugar intake to no more than 9 teaspoons, or about 150 calories.
The US Department of Health says added sugars should account for no more than 10 percent of the calories you eat. If you are following a 2000 calorie diet, this means that you should not eat more than 200 calories of sugar, or 50 grams, as like all carbohydrates, sugar contains 4 calories per gram.
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