Now that Valentine's Day is over, let's talk about sugar!
According to the Food and Drug Administration, Americans' caloric intake of sugar should equal no more than 8% of all calories consumed. However, most reports show that the majority of Americans consume twice that amount of calories in the form of sugars and sweeteners. Taking into consideration that one can of soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar, it's no wonder that our caloric intake is often dominated by various forms of added sugar.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, Americans' caloric intake of sugar should equal no more than 8% of all calories consumed. However, most reports show that the majority of Americans consume twice that amount of calories in the form of sugars and sweeteners. Taking into consideration that one can of soda contains approximately 10 teaspoons of sugar, it's no wonder that our caloric intake is often dominated by various forms of added sugar.
Unfortunately, American food manufacturers add high-fructose corn syrup or evaporated cane sugar to products ranging from salad dressings to crackers. In our busy lives, we're often too rushed to read nutritional labels when we're at the grocery store. One simple rule of thumb is to look at the ingredient list of an item that you're planning to buy. If sugar, corn syrup, evaporated cane juice or any other form of sugar is in the first three or four ingredients, put that product back on the shelf! Ingredients are listed in descending order, so the first ingredients on an y ingredient list make up the highest percentage of the product.
According to some websites, sugar can have many deleterious effects on one's health, although some would argue whether these lists go a little too far in their claims of sugar's danger to health.
Be that as it may, an elevated intake of sugar certainly increases one's risk of developing diabetes and obesity, and some studies have concluded that sugar does indeed have a direct effect on children's behavior (just ask any parent watching their child at a birthday party or on Hallowe'en night). And let's not forget the impact of sugar on dentition!
If you are interested in losing weight, improving your health---both dental and otherwise---and feeling better in general, decreasing your sugar intake is a very good place to start. If you're unsure what to do first, go through your cabinets and refrigerator, carefully examining the ingredient lists of the foods you purchase on a regular basis. Look closely at the ingredient lists as well as the carbohydrate and sugar count on the nutrition label. If you're shocked by what you see, use that information to seek alternative products the next time you go shopping.
Sugar and the sweetness that it delivers is an acquired taste, and just as we can wean ourselves from high sodium diets, we can also slowly decrease our dependence on sugar. If you would like more information or would like to review how to read nutrition labels on the products that you buy at the store, contact Keith Carlson, RN at the Amherst Health Department for an appointment to review your dietary and shopping strategies.
