Sugar: How Much Is Too Much?

October 8, 2009

Posted by Maggie Spilner

The American Heart Association (AHA) has now made specific recommendations for sugar consumption, acorrding to your age, sex and activity level, following their 2006 advice to “minimize” eating foods and beverages with added sugars.

Of course, the sugar industry is trying to undercut the advice, saying the AHA’s guidelines are misplaced. You’ll have to make up your own mind, but it seems clear that foods with added sugars can set you up for cravings, dips in energy and fat storage, while depriving you of essential vitamins and minerals that healthier options could give you. Too much sugar can lead to health problems like diabetes, metabolic syndrome (considered a precursor to diabetes) and even some cancers.

How much added sugar does the AHA suggest is a safe amount? If you’ve got a sweet tooth or you drink beverages with added sugar every day, you can bet you’re over the top on sugar consumption.

"Most American women should eat or drink no more than 100 calories per day from added sugars, and most American men should eat or drink no more than 150 calories per day from added sugars," states the AHA. The AHA’s paper includes examples of upper limits on added sugars for various groups of adults, but not for children.

Here are those examples:

For active men aged 21-25: up to 18 teaspoons (288 calories)
For sedentary men aged 46-50: up to 9 teaspoons (144 calories)
For moderately active woman aged 51-55: up to 5 teaspoons (80 calories)
For sedentary woman aged 71-75: up to 3 teaspoons (48 calories)

You’ll need to start reading labels to figure out how much you should cut back on added sugars. Those are the sugars you get from literally adding sugar to a cup of coffee or tea or drinking beverages or packaged foods that contain added sugars. Consider this: One 12 oz. can of soda contains 8 teaspoons of added sugar. That’s more than a moderately active woman, aged 51-55, should have in a day.

Clearly, many people are going way over this mark every day. If that’s you, don’t strive for perfection, start cutting back and letting your body (and mind) adjust to the new, healthier lifestyle. There are also supplements that can help you curb your cravings or and cut back on the negative effects of sugar.

These blood sugar balancing supplements include:

Cinnamon extract has been clinically proven to support healthy glucose metabolism and blood sugar balance.
Chromium plays an essential role in proper insulin function, maintenance of healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels, normal energy production and promotion of healthy body weight. Chromium boosts the activity of insulin, and a lack of chromium promotes insulin resistance and high blood sugar that may trigger type 2 diabetes.
Phase 2® is a "carb blocker" that can neutralize excess starch in the diet, making it a valuable ally for those who have a hard time giving up carbohydrate-rich foods. Phase 2 has been clinically proven to enhance fat loss, help reduce body mass index, decrease insulin resistance and regulate triglyceride levels.

The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: Americans consume way too much sugar, and we’re paying the price. It’s actually hard to avoid nowadays. While it’s not necessary to elimate sugar completely, it’s very important to be conscious of how much you are consuming. Follow the AHA guidelines as closely as possible based on your age, sex and activity level, and consider taking advantage of supplements to help control cravings.