It’s no secret that Americans have a sweet tooth. Each day in the US, the average kid and adult consumes about 17 teaspoons of “added” sugar, which includes sucrose, dextrose, syrups and any other sugars put into food and drinks during processing and preparation.
That’s way beyond the World Health Organization’s guidance to restrict daily sugar intake to less than 10 percent of calories. That comes to around 12.5 teaspoons, or 50 grams, for adults.
While excess sugar intake is a global problem, Americans’ love affair may run especially deep. By some estimates, the United States is the most sugar-loving country in the world.
This intimate relationship with sugar likely isn’t an accident. Dating back decades, the sugar industry has lobbied to downplay its products’ health risks and to vilify fat.
Those efforts have had lasting negative impacts on our health.
The origins of American sugar culture
Early warning signs of sugar’s link to coronary heart disease emerged in the 1950s. The sugar industry, in turn, paid scientists during the 1960s to downplay those risks and push saturated fat as the offender instead. The rest of the world didn’t learn about these efforts for more than five decades.
In 1965, a trade group called the Sugar Research Foundation (known today as the Sugar Association) paid three Harvard University scientists thousands of dollars to publish a review of research on sugar, fat and heart disease. In 1967, those researchers singled out fat and cholesterol as the dietary causes of heart disease and downplayed evidence that sugar was also a risk factor.
The claim that fat consumption is the biggest risk factor for heart disease has been debunked, yet the food industry continues to play a role in nutrition science. The New York Times has reported that Coca-Cola gave millions in funding to scientists who minimized the link between sugary drinks and obesity. The Associated Press found that candy makers have funded research claiming that children who eat candy tend to weigh less than those who do not.
How does sugar affect our health?
While naturally occurring sugars, like those in milk or fruit, can be a good source of carbohydrates, research has consistently linked refined and added fructose to serious health conditions. Added sugars like fructose and corn syrup are commonly found in cereals, oatmeal, fruit juices, pasta sauce and many other popular grocery staples.
Sugar can affect the entire body and how it functions.
- Cognition and memory: The brain depends on glucose as its main source of fuel, but overconsuming added sugar can dampen cognitive function. Over time, high blood sugar damages the vessels that transport oxygen-rich blood to the brain, which can cause brain cells to die. This can lead to problems with memory, thinking and even vascular dementia.
- Mood: Beyond cell damage, eating and drinking too much sugar can also trigger chemical imbalances in the brain, which can increase a risk of developing depression and other mood disorders. One 2017 study found that men who consumed more than 67 grams of sugar per day were 23 percent more likely to receive a clinical depression diagnosis within five years.
- Heart health: According to one 2014 study that tracked sugar consumption over 15 years, people who consumed about one-fifth of their calories from added sugar had a 38 percent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, compared with those who consumed 8 percent of their calories from sugar. Too much added sugar can raise blood pressure, increase chronic inflammation and overload the liver, all of which are pathways to heart disease.
- Oral health: Added sugars feed bad bacteria and form dental plaque (that sticky film that coats the teeth and is so difficult to remove). Plaque leads to tooth decay, although visiting a dentist regularly for check-ups and oral hygiene guidance can help keep patients cavity-free.
- Gut health: Just as chronic inflammation can lead to an unhealthy heart, it can also result in an unhealthy gut. Research into the sugar-stomach connection is still evolving, but scientists have found that sugar can form toxic biochemical compounds that spike inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. That inflammation can damage the intestines, as well as lead to weight gain.
How can we solve our sugar problem?
Reducing sugar consumption in the United States is as much a societal challenge as an individual one. Public health campaigns and policies can educate Americans about the harms of sugar and make sugary items more difficult to access.
For individuals, simple, physician-recommended lifestyle changes can help you cut down on sugar — which may be easier than you think.
- Avoid soda: Diet fads come and go, but one easy, foolproof tip withstands the test of time: Don’t drink your calories — or your sugar. The No. 1 source of added sugar in the American diet is sugary drinks. That includes not just soda but orange juice, caffeinated beverages, cocktails and sports drinks. Instead, opt for homemade iced tea, herbal tea or black coffee, vegetable juice or water infused with your favorite natural flavors, like orange peels, strawberries or mint.
- Switch to alternative snacks: When grocery shopping, read the nutrition label on your favorite snacks. Even foods that are marketed as “healthy,” like instant oatmeal or granola bars, often are sweetened with tons of added sugar. As a general guide, stay away from packaged snacks and instead grab healthier, all-natural alternatives to satisfy your cravings. Nuts, fruits and veggies, avocado toast and homemade snack bars are all healthy options.
- Exercise: Staying active is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Regular exercise can help reduce the risk of many health problems associated with excess sugar consumption, including diabetes and mood disorders. Sticking to an exercise routine can be difficult, so choose an activity you enjoy, whether that’s yoga, swimming, martial arts or even taking daily walks. In fact, walking has been scientifically proven to counter the effects of weight-promoting genes and can even tame a sweet tooth.
- Nutritional education: Especially during childhood, proper nutrition education can have lasting health effects.
Sugar is abundant in American supermarkets, restaurants and culture. But with a few lifestyle tweaks, consumers can avoid overconsumption and live healthier lives.