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    Speaking of Health
    Tuesday, March 26, 2019

    Are you consuming too much sugar?

    Topics in this Post
    • Get healthy recipes and tips
    Sugar on a spoon

    Most Americans consume too much sugar. Only 200 calories, or 10 percent, of a daily intake of 2,000 calories should come from added sugars. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the average American consumes 22 teaspoons — or 355 calories — of added sugar every day. Consuming too much sugar sets the stage for several health issues, including:

    • Increased fat in blood
    • Poor nutrition
    • Tooth decay
    • Weight gain

    Download a PDF about sugar.Some foods, such as fruits, milk and vegetables, contain natural sugar, which is OK to consume. What you should watch out for is processed sugars and sweeteners. These hidden sugars are in foods such as crackers, drinks, pasta sauces and even pizza. When checking the ingredients list, look for the words “malt,” “syrup” and those ending in “-ose.” These added sugars go by many names, including:

    • Agave nectar
    • Cane sugar
    • Corn syrup
    • Evaporated cane juice
    • Fructose
    • Glucose
    • Invert sugar
    • Malt syrup
    • Maltose
    • Raw sugar
    • Rice syrup
    • Sucrose

    If you’re not sure about a certain food, be sure to check the nutrition label and ingredients list. Knowing what to look for will keep you from consuming too much sugar.


    For the safety of our patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was either recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in a non-patient care area where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.
    Topics in this Post
    • Get healthy recipes and tips

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