Recently, we have heard about the lifting of restrictions on cholesterol intake from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Now, we are becoming aware of new recommendations regarding added sugars in our diets, from both the committee behind the dietary guidelines and the World Health Organization (WHO). These organizations have not addressed the issue of added sugars in food (which WHO refers to as "free sugars"—sugars not naturally occurring in the ingredients but added in) until recently.

          However, as evidence began to suggest that sugar may be a contributing factor to obesity and other diseases, people started paying more attention to this issue. As everyone knows, most processed foods contain added sugars, and the amounts have been increasing over time. This not only makes people accustomed to sweet foods but also makes it harder to avoid foods with added sugars. This is what major health organizations are discussing regarding these sugars.

World Health Organization (WHO)

          The latest recommendations from the World Health Organization (March 2015) state that we should aim to keep added sugar intake below 10% of our total calorie intake, and reducing it to 5% would be even better. Ten percent translates to about 12 teaspoons of sugar per day, while 5% would be around 6 teaspoons. For example, one tablespoon of ketchup contains about 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a 12-ounce bottle of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar.

2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

          The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sugar intake to just 10% of total calories (12 teaspoons per day). Although the committee members acknowledged that the less sugar, the better, it is practically difficult to avoid sugar. Thus, the 10% figure is considered achievable for most people. For instance, one tablespoon of jam contains nearly 1 tablespoon of sugar, mostly from added sugars, and one tablespoon of barbecue sauce contains about 2 teaspoons of sugar, depending on the brand—but who eats just one tablespoon of barbecue sauce?

American Heart Association

          The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar and men no more than 9 teaspoons (these figures depend on average calorie intake). Most small cupcakes with frosting (less than 3 inches in diameter) contain between 6-10 teaspoons of sugar, and a 1/4 cup of margarita mix has 6 teaspoons of sugar.

Conclusion and Next Steps

          Finally, we have received guidance on sugar consumption from major organizations, but what about refined carbohydrates, which significantly affect blood sugar levels and are low in nutrients? According to Dr. David Ludwig, "Plain cornflakes have the same sugar content as sugar-added cornflakes." It is hoped that future dietary guidelines will address these refined carbohydrates more thoroughly.

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