Daily Sugar Intake – How Many Grams Should You Eat Per Day?

Do you have a sweet tooth? Do you often crave for dessert after dinner? Do you prefer your tea a little on the sweeter side? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this article is for you. While there is nothing wrong with indulging your sweet tooth every now and then, conspicuous consumption of sugar has become a problem that has alarmed doctors and dieticians all over the world. Before we talk about how much sugar is too much, let us tell you what we mean when we say sugar consumption. The sugar that exists in our food is of two types, one which is available naturally and the other is added sugar.

So what is the difference? The difference is in terms of potency; when we say added sugar we mean the white sugar that you add to your tea or coffee or the sugar that is present in cakes, cookies, etc. It also includes the sweeteners like honey or jaggery that are added to different food items to make them taste sweeter. Naturally occurring sugar that is present in fruits, dairy, grains, and vegetables are not that problematic as it is accompanied by a healthy dose of nutrients, vitamins, and fibre. So while half a portion of a small papaya contains about 6 grams of sugar, a 375 ml can of Coke has about 40 grams of sugar (1), (2).

So, How Much Sugar Can We Eat In A Day?

Though no research has conclusively prescribed the limit for sugar consumption, both American Heart Association and World Health Organisation have laid out guidelines for it that stipulate that only 6–10 percent of our daily calorific requirements should be met from sugar. That means, for an average 2000 calorie diet, that would be 120–200 calories and 30–50 grams or 7–12 teaspoons of sugar every day (3). There have been suggestions to lower this benchmark in the case of India as data shows that not only is our country the second largest producer of sugar in the world, it is also its largest consumer. In fact, the number of diabetics in India is so high that it’s ranked second after China (4).

How is that even possible? Well, for starters, you need to know that even the so-called healthy eating options that are present in the market contain a lot of added sugar. This is because extra sugar is added when fat is removed to hide the bland taste. A lot of low-fat options available in the market are very high on sugar. A lot of sugar is also hiding in the processed foods that we consume heartily. You might not be aware of this but a cheese pizza contains about 30 grams of sugar. It is present in the dough that is used to make the pizza base (5). In order to avoid consuming this hidden sugar, it is advisable that you check the nutrition label given at the back of the product which would give you a better idea of how much sugar the product contains. Be more aware of what you are putting in your body.

Dangers Of Too Much Sugar

You might be aware of the most common harmful effects of too much sugar in your diets such as weight gain, diabetes, and cavities, but sugar harms your body in a lot more insidious ways. Though it is salt that often gets the blame, sugar too is suspected to have a hand in increasing blood pressure. According to researchers, sugar increases the insulin level in the body and which makes your arteries and veins less flexible and causes the kidney to retain water and sodium. It is also known to be the culprit behind diseases such as fatty liver disease, and gout. Too much sugar can also mess up your sleep cycle by causing frequent energy highs and crashes. To add to this list of problems, scientists have even found a connection between anxiety and sugar consumption with people eating more than 66 grams of sugar a day are 40 percent more likely to suffer from anxiety. It seems like sugar is the silent killer after all (6).

Ways To Control Your Sugar Consumption

Countries across the world are asking for sugary drinks like coke to be taxed and they want to ban their consumption among school children by not allowing them to be sold in school canteens (7). These are some of the measures that show that too much sugar is a global epidemic, that needs to be tackled at a global level.

You can control your sugar consumption by swapping your energy drinks and colas for water. Instead of pre-packaged fruit juices opt for fresh juices. If having sweets after dinner is your guilty pleasure, instead of forgoing your dessert, try to share it so that you eat smaller portions of it.

Taking these small measures is enough to keep your sugar in check. You have to understand that in today’s age it pays to eat more consciously. After all, prevention is any day better than cure. So go forth, eat a more balanced diet, exercise and live a long and healthy life while still maintaining your sweet tooth.

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