Daily recommended sugar intake for women is 5 teaspoons per day (20 grams), for men, 9 teaspoons per day (36 grams), and for children, only three teaspoons per day (12 grams). A 12 ounce can of Coke has 39 grams, about 10 teaspoons of processed sugar.
Keeping your sugar consumption below the daily allowance and avoiding refined sugars completely is the best way to radically reduce and virtually eliminate your risk of not only Type II Diabetes and obesity, but also cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s Disease. Sugar inflames the body and makes you more prone to arthritic pain, autoimmune disorders, muscle tension and accelerated aging. Too much sugar also exacerbates depression, as well as addictive and compulsive behaviors. Cutting out sodas and other processed foods is the best way to drastically reduce your consumption of refined sugar and protect your health.
Here are the average amounts of sugar in some common processed foods as listed by Rodale News:
Plain bagel: 5.05 grams of sugar, 4.8 of which are added
Whole-wheat bread (one slice): 5.57 grams of sugar, 5.0 of which are added
Regular sodas: 8.97 grams of sugar, all of it added
Fruit punch: 11.29 grams of sugar, 4.4 of which are added Bowl of corn flakes: 6.11 grams of sugar, all of it added
Fruit-flavored yogurt: 19 grams of sugar, 11.4 of which are added
Italian salad dressing: 8.85 grams of sugar, 6.9 of which are added
Fruit cocktail canned in light syrup: 13.93 grams of sugar, 6.4 of which are added
Smooth peanut butter: 9.22 grams of sugar, 3.1 of which are added
Granola bars: 21.8 grams of sugar, 20.4 of which are added
Low-sodium spaghetti sauce: 11.57 grams of sugar, 6.5 of which are added.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Erin O’Maley
