Mary Poppins may believe that spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but the American Heart Association says too many spoonfuls go down the wrong way.
The association is sounding the alarm about the fact that Americans swallow 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, and it's time to cut way back, the association says.
Most of that sugar comes from soft drinks and candy — a whopping 355 calories, the equivalent of guzzling two cans of soda and eating a chocolate bar.
By comparison, most women should be getting no more than six teaspoons a day, or 100 calories, of added sugar — the sweeteners and syrups that are added to foods during processing, preparation or at the table. For most men, the recommended limit is nine teaspoons, or 150 calories, the heart group says.
The guidelines do not apply to naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit, vegetables, or dairy products.
Rachel K. Johnson, lead author of the statement published online Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, said it is time to give specific advice on how much added sugar Americans should be getting instead of just advising moderation.
"Take a good hard look at your diet," said Johnson, nutrition professor at the University of Vermont in Burlington. "Figure out where the sources of added sugars are and think about how to cut back on that."
About 8 ounces of fruit-flavored yogurt has about six teaspoons of added sugar; 8 ounces of low-fat chocolate milk has about four teaspoons; a cup of frosted whole grain cereal has about three teaspoons.
The biggest culprits for the glut of sugar? Soft drinks by far, followed by candy, cakes, cookies, and pies.
A regular 12-ounce soft drink's eight teaspoons of added sugar will put most women over the recommended daily limit.
To check for added sugar, look for a variety of ingredients including sugar, corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, molasses, or evaporated cane juice on the label.
