Being Mindful of Added Sugars

According to the CDC, added sugars are sugars and syrups which have been added into products when they are processed of prepared. This is not to be confused with sugars which naturally occur in produce (fruits and veggies) and dairy products. Added sugars are one of the most common food additives; in fact, 66% of food products have at least 1 gram of added sugar! Some of the products which contain the highest level of added sugars include: sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and breakfast cereals.

There are a variety of added sugars, including brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit nectars, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose.

Eating/drinking too much sugar can lead to adverse health effects such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommend dramatically cutting back on added sugars to avoid these outcomes. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that those who are older than 2 years of age should consume no more than 10% of their calories from added sugars. 

Being aware of your added sugar consumption can be as simple as looking at the labels in your foods; look at the Nutrition Facts panel for added sugars. Observation of the Daily Value of added sugars on the Nutrition Facts panel 5% DV or less of added sugars per serving is considered low and 20% DV or more of added sugars per serving is considered high. Another way you can distinguish if a product has a lot of added sugars in a product is by observing the ingredients because ingredients are listed by descending weight on the label so the sooner on the list the sugars are listed, the higher the sugar added content in the product.

Do your body a favor and be informed! 

Some tips for reducing added sugar intake include:

• Choose cereals with 5% of the Daily Value or less of added sugars

  • Try adding your favorite fruits to cereals to add a touch of sweetness + fiber

• Choose water, tea, coffee, seltzer, or other unsweetened beverages throughout your day

• When baking, reduce the amount of sugar by 1/4 - 1/3 cup

• When having a sweet treat, be mindful of portions and take your time eating them