The CDC recommends limiting added sugar consumption to less than 10 percent of total daily calories.
Added sugars include syrups and other sweeteners. Naturally occurring sugars, which are present in fruits and milk, are not considered added sugars. Studies suggest that a nutrient-dense eating pattern with lower sugar intake may be associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.
If you’re trying to eat less added sugar, try:
- Replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with plain water
- Making your own flavored water by infusing lemon, lime, strawberry, or cucumber slices
- Ordering your favorite cafe drinks with a lower percentage of syrup or sweetener
- Adding your own sweetener to plain yogurt
When reading a food label, the following ingredients indicate added sugar:
- brown sugar
- corn syrup
- dextrose
- fructose
- glucose
- high-fructose corn syrup
- honey
- invert sugar
- lactose
- malt syrup
- maltose
- maple syrup
- molasses
- raw sugar
- sucrose
- turbinado sugar