Added sugar is bad for us. A new study found health improvements in children when they cut it from their diet. In just 10 days without added sugar, obese children had improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar levels without weight loss. This shows that the removal of added sugar caused the improvements, not weight loss.
Science is clearly finding that processed foods and beverages with added sugars are detrimental to our health. Earlier this year, Dietary Guidelines were changed to recommend we limit the intake of added sugars to no more than 10 percent of daily calories. This works out to about 12 teaspoons (50 grams) of added sugar a day. The World Health Organization recommends 5 percent of calories or less or 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of sugar.
Children get 40% of their added sugar from beverages so that’s a good place to start if this latest study has inspired you to take action. Breakfast cereals and snack foods are other big contributors.
