The surprising facts about sugar

Many recent studies have looked at whether there is an acceptable amount of sugar people can eat in a day.  Here are some recommendations to determine how much is too much.

A joint United States-Canada report from the Food and Nutrition Board concluded there is no level of total or added sugar intakes that increases the risk of adverse effects.  Although no upper limit for sugar consumption was set, they suggest a maximum intake level of 25 percent or less of energy from added sugars for adults and children, which is considerably more than the current average intake. However, an independent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations disagrees. It states sugar leads to obesity when it displaces other nutrients in the diet. The WHO says unless people limit their intake of added sugars, including sugar in soft drinks, to less than 10 percent of daily calories, they are looking at obesity and dental problems. For most people, that amount of sugar can be found in a single can of soda pop.

All types of sugar — white table sugar, brown sugar, honey and molasses — encourage the growth of the oral bacteria that are responsible for causing cavities. When starchy foods are broken down by the enzymes in saliva, they, too, form cavity-causing sugars. More dangerous than the amount of sugar is the length of time the sugar remains in contact with the teeth. Thus, much of the damage can be prevented by brushing soon after eating a sweet.

A large study suggests that when it comes to diabetes, sugar is not a major factor. In the study, Harvard researchers looked at more than 38,000 healthy, middle-aged women enrolled in the Women's Health Study, an ongoing study of female health professionals. The women filled out food questionnaires and the researchers added up their total sugar intake, including table sugar (sucrose), fruit sugar (fructose) and milk sugar (lactose). Their analysis showed that women who consumed the most sugar were no more likely to develop diabetes than those who consumed the lowest amounts.

Recent studies suggest sugar may not be the evil it was originally thought. However it does pose significant health concerns when  large amounts are consumed. Keep an eye on your consumption and you should be fine.