The sneaky truth about added sugar

It’s in the syrup in your cold brew, the flavoring in your protein bar, and the tang of your salad dressing. Even if you aren’t a sweets person, your diet is likely loaded with sugar. And it all adds up: The average person in the U.S. consumes about 60 pounds of added sugar per year, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). That extra word, added, is key, because it refers to sugar that you may not even know is there. So, how do you know if your added sugar intake is problematic? And how do you cut back? Let’s dig in.

What is added sugar?

Sugar goes by many names: Table sugar, raw sugar, honey, maple syrup, corn sweetener, dextrin, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose. (The list goes on.) “These ingredients are added to foods to make them taste sweeter, making them more palatable and often harder to limit our portion sizes,” says Laura Weissbart, M.S., Ph.D. candidate in behavioral nutrition, and head of program at WeightWatchers.

If sugar is literally added, it’s added sugar — even if it comes from a more natural-seeming source like maple syrup or date sugar. “It’s all the same to the body,” says Nicole Rodriguez, RDN, a New York City-based dietitian. “Sugar is sugar is sugar.”

Except, however, when it’s naturally occurring. Natural sugar differs from added sugar in key ways. Found in foods like fruit, vegetables, nuts/seeds, (unsweetened) dairy, and whole grains, natural sugars are key components of a healthy pattern of eating, says Weissbart. Sugars from these foods are not considered to be worrisome because they come in a whole food package alongside nutrients like fiber, protein, and/or healthy fats, all factors that help you feel full and aid in blood sugar regulation. These foods also offer vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

While adults eat about 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day, the CDC recommends capping your added sugar intake to 12 teaspoons (about 50 grams) per day if you’re eating a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet. That amount should decrease if you’re consuming fewer calories. The organization advises keeping added sugars to 10% of your total calories for the day. For example, if you’re on a 1,400-calorie-per-day diet, you’d want to limit your consumption to 140 calories, which is about 9 teaspoons (36 grams) per day.

The problem with excess sugar

There are a couple issues with consuming too much added sugar, explains Weissbart:

• If you’re eating foods that are high in added sugars, it can take away room in your diet for more nutritious foods.
• Foods high in added sugars also tend to be low in fiber and protein. “We know the combination of protein and fiber can be very satiating, making it much easier to adhere to a healthier pattern of eating,” Weissbart says. Foods like cakes, cookies, ice cream, granola bars, and flavored yogurts all contain added sugar that makes them pretty palatable, which can make it difficult to limit how much you’re eating, causing overeating and weight gain.

An umbrella review published in the British Medical Journal that looked at 73 meta-analyses found that — compared to the lowest dietary sugar consumption — being in the highest consumption category was associated with increased body weight and a greater risk of cardiometabolic diseases, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as well as certain cancers. (There were no benefits of consuming added sugar for any of the 83 health outcomes analyzed.) The recommendation from the authors: Eat less than 25 grams of added sugar per day, which is about six teaspoons per day, and have no more than one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages like soda per week. And yes, this amount is even lower than the CDC’s recommendations.

How to eat less added sugar

Eat more whole foods and less ultra processed foods

About 90% of our intake from added sugars comes from ultra-processed foods. In these foods — breakfast cereals, granola bars, flavored yogurts, condiments, fast food, frozen foods — added sugars made up about 20% of their calories. Slowly increasing the amount of whole foods — plain fresh, frozen or canned fruits and veggies, whole grains, and legumes — will drastically and automatically cut your added sugar consumption.

Scan the nutrients facts panel

Today, it’s easy to know how much added sugar is in most products. Flip the package around and look at the Nutrient Facts panel. There, you’ll find a line for “Total Sugars,” which is the total amount of sugar (natural and added). Underneath that will be a line “Includes XXg Added Sugars.” That will tell you how much added sugar is in one serving. You’ll also see the Daily Value listed as a percentage, which gives you an idea of how sugary a food really is. A good rule of thumb when looking at the percent daily values is 5% or less is low, 10% or more is moderate, and 20% or above is high.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day for a 2,000 calorie diet (the equivalent of 12.5 teaspoons). Many of our WeightWatchers members looking to lose weight might be aiming for more like a 1,500 calorie a day diet, which means you should be eating even less, closer to no more than 37 grams of added sugar a day, Weissbart says.

Thankfully, though, the WeightWatchers Points system takes added sugar into account, guiding you towards foods lower in added sugar. What’s more, the WW app can automatically track the added sugars you’re eating, says Weissbart, making it easier to understand your intake and minimize it. If you’re interested in this information, be sure “Added Sugar” is turned on in your daily macros and nutrients section.

Be critical of “healthy” foods

Yes, ice cream, candy, and cakes are packed with sugar. But many foods that get health halos — protein bars and powders, trail mix, crackers, nut butters, instant oatmeal, plant-based milks, whole grain cereal, acai packets, dried fruit, and more — can all contain hidden sugars, says Rodriguez. That doesn’t mean you need to avoid these entirely, but scan the label and compare it with similar products in its category. Consider choosing a product with less sugar or — even better — an unsweetened one.

Eat balanced meals and snacks

If you’re hungry or trying to restrict yourself too much, you may find that your cravings for sugar are off-the-charts strong. “Look for snacks and meals that are satisfying by following the power triangle of protein, heart-healthy fat, and fiber,” says Rodriguez. That might be a turkey and avocado sandwich on whole-grain bread for lunch. Or a handful of pistachios with an apple as a snack.

Slowly cut back

Love sweetened coffee or coffee drinks? Great! Rodriguez often recommends a step-wise approach to reducing your sweetener intake. For instance, if you’re adding 2 tablespoons of sugar to your coffee, decrease that to 1.5 tablespoons until your taste buds adjust, then cut back to 1 tablespoon. You can apply this approach to many other foods that you typically add sugar to.

DIY at home, if possible

If your time and schedule allow, “making foods that tend to be high in added sugar at home is another helpful way to limit added sugars,” says Weissbart. For instance, instead of buying flavored yogurt, buy plain, unflavored and unsweetened and add berries or a drizzle of honey. This way, you’re in control of how much you add and can make it lighter. Take those same berries and mash them on top of your peanut butter sandwich in place of jelly. Instead of using a bottled salad dressing, make your own by combining olive oil, lemon, and spices — such as salt, pepper, and oregano. Weissbart suggests experimenting with other flavor-boosting ingredients as well, including apple cider vinegar, lime, herbs like basil and mint, and dijon mustard.

Make it count

“Sugar is wonderful and delicious and part of some of the great moments of life,” says Rodriguez. “I’d rather see someone utilizing their Points for a sweet treat that they love at the end of the day as opposed to having a day full of products that sneakily contain added sugars that really aren’t serving a purpose,” she says.

The bottom line

The average person in the U.S. consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day, far higher than the recommended limit of 12 teaspoons per day. Excess added sugar consumption is associated with heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and obesity. Eating more whole foods, reading nutrition labels and choosing lower-sugar products, cutting back slowly, and enjoying sweet foods on occasion are all strategies experts recommend for reducing your intake of added sugars.