by: Lindsay Schwartz, RD LDN
We need carbohydrates for energy and sugar is a type of carbohydrate that is naturally found in some foods, like fruits and dairy products. Sugar can also be added to foods and fluids, like breakfast cereal and soda. Added sugar is recommended to be consumed in moderation. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women and children have less than 25 grams, or six teaspoons, per day and that men have less than 36 grams, or 9 teaspoons, per day of added sugar1. Added sugar is commonly found in regular soda, sweet tea, lemonade, breakfast cereal, baked goods, candy, ice cream and yogurt. Added sugar is what the manufacturer has added to foods or fluids in processing.
For example, check out the Nutrition Facts label below for a regular can of Coke.
As mentioned previously, sugar is a type of carbohydrate. Added Sugars is listed below Total Carbohydrates. So, looking at the label above we can see that of the 39 grams of total carbohydrate, 39 grams comes from added sugar. So that means all the sugar in Coke is added sugar and one can of regular Coke exceeds the recommended daily limit of added sugar for kids, women and men.
Now let’s look at a yogurt nutrition label, something that could have both natural sugar and added sugar. This product has 16 grams of total sugars and 11 grams of added sugars. That means, of the 16 grams of total sugars, 11 of those grams were added by the manufacturer and the 5 remaining grams are naturally occurring sugars2.
So, a ¾ cup serving of this particular yogurt would provide 11 grams of added sugar, which is 44% of the AHA recommended limit of added sugar per day for women and kids and 31% of the AHA recommended limit of added sugar per day for men.
Checking the Nutrition Facts label is important to meet your nutrition goals. You can read more about the Nutrition Facts label and how to interpreter it at fda.gov, but meeting with a Registered Dietitian can help you learn about your personal nutritional needs and help you reach your goals. Nutrition therapy is often covered by insurance and nutrition counseling is available through the Signature Healthcare Nutrition Clinic, whether you want to come in person or be seen virtually. Call the Nutrition Clinic at 508-941-7250 for more information.
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