how much sugar and tracking

[anne]

I was wondering how much sugar are we technically supposed to be ingesting in a day. What I mean is what is considered the healthy amount. I think I heard it's supposed to be like 24 grams a day or something, but that sounds kind of low to me.

Also, what is the best way to track your sugars? Does anyone know how to do that simply?

[CuJo1992]

Actually you're not far off with your 25 grams of sugar per day. According to the American Heart Association, women should get about 100 calories of sugar per day which is about 25 grams per day or 6 teaspoons, while men should average about 150 calories per day the equivalent to 37.5 grams or 9 teaspoons.

I'd say that most of us blow this amount in a day. All you need to do is have a soda or drink juice and you've already blown it.

I think the only way to really track it is to check out the ingredients of the foods you're putting in your body. Also, I'm pretty sure sugar from fruit isn't the same as refined sugar, but don't quote me on that.

[ChristySmiles]

Yeah, you're really not supposed to eat that much sugar every day and most of us blow our sugar intake by a mile on a daily basis. It's easy to do that because just drinking a can of soda is enough to exceed the total amount of sugar you should have in a day.

The only way to track your sugar is to know how much sugar is in the food you eat. You can discover this by reading the food facts label and by checking out the ingredients. I found it easy to measure my sugar by doing some simple conversions. For instance, 4 grams of white granulated sugar is about equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar. Considering you're not supposed to get more than 25 grams of sugar a day, that's about 6 teaspoons which isn't very much.

Many foods and drinks contain a lot of sugar and they also contain hidden sugars. Don't just looks for the word sugar, but also glucose, glucose-fructose. There are all different types of sugars and they have different names.

[jenny25]

While I do agree with everyone here. I also want to point out that when you're tracking sugar, keep in mind that sugars that occur naturally in fruit (fructose) or dairy (lactose) are not the same as added (refined) sugar. For instance an apple is high in sugar but it's not the same as being high in added sugar. The reason is that an apple contains a lot more benefit than a cookie. It is also high in nutrients such as vitamins and fibers. Foods that contain natural sugar and also offer protein and/or fiber do not typically cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar as is the case with added sugar because fiber and protein take longer to digest. They also make you feel fuller for longer.

[anne]

While I do agree with everyone here. I also want to point out that when you're tracking sugar, keep in mind that sugars that occur naturally in fruit (fructose) or dairy (lactose) are not the same as added (refined) sugar. For instance an apple is high in sugar but it's not the same as being high in added sugar. The reason is that an apple contains a lot more benefit than a cookie. It is also high in nutrients such as vitamins and fibers. Foods that contain natural sugar and also offer protein and/or fiber do not typically cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar as is the case with added sugar because fiber and protein take longer to digest. They also make you feel fuller for longer.

Thanks for that info Jenny25. I didn't realize that natural sugars in fruits and dairy actually have added benefit. That will make a huge difference on my food choices. Even if I blow the recommended amount of sugar I'm supposed to have in a day, at least I'll have a better idea as to how much and control it.