Not so Guilty Pleasure 1 | Page 18

How Americans Consume so Much Sugar

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/americans-eat-way-too-much-sugar-heres-where-it-comes-from-2016-01-08

The Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture release guidelines every 5 years that emphasize healthy eating. In the new guidelines released for 2016 states that no more than 10% of your calories consumed should be sugar. For a 2,000 calorie diet that is approximatley 10-12 teaspoons, or 40-48 grams. In one 12oz can of Coca Cola there is 38 grams.

It was suggested in previous guidelines to prepare and eat food with less sugar but no specific number was reccomended. About 30% of Americans over 1-year old consume the recomended amount or less.

Nearly 50% of this sugar comes from beverages (25% from soft drinks, 11% from fruit drinks, 7% coffee, 3% sports drinks, 1% alcoholic beverages), and 31% from snacks and sweets.

The guidelines may not be directed towards individuals; however, they shape policies for the USDA’s National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. These guidelines are also very important for dietitions and nutrition programs of any sort. Although most of the sugar consumed comes from soft drinks its consumption has declined steadily. Although there are sugars naturally present in healthy foods such as fruit, the issue is volume, there aren’t as many natural foods with high sugar concentrations.