- Sugar occurs naturally in foods but can also be added during manufacturing or cooking.
- Researchers are still working to understand the dangers of consuming too much sugar.
- A recent umbrella review found that sugar consumption is associated with several poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular problems and several types of cancer.
- People can take steps to limit their intake of added sugars and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Proper nutrition is about meeting the body’s needs. This involves careful balance and not getting too much or too little of any one nutrient. Sugar is a dietary component, but consuming too much sugar can contribute to poor health outcomes.
A recent
Based on these findings, review authors suggest that people should work to keep their amount of added sugars to six teaspoons a day or less and only consume one or fewer sugar-sweetened beverages a week.
Dietary sugar is a broad term for a few carbohydrate types. For example, glucose, fructose, and lactose are all types of sugar. Some
Added sugar is any sugar that manufacturers or consumers add to foods. Based on this distinction, groups like MyPlate.gov offer recommendations for limiting the intake of added sugars.
The body requires some sugar, so people cannot eliminate it entirely from their diets, but the source is essential. Molly Kimball, a registered dietitian and nutrition journalist, who was not involved in the study, explained to Medical News Today:
“Glucose is a primary source of fuel for our bodies: the brain, central nervous system and muscles. Every cell in your body needs glucose to survive…But we don’t…
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