What is the daily intake of sugar. How much sugar can be consumed per day without harm to health How many grams of sugar is recommended per day

02.12.2021 -

It is necessary to clearly distinguish between natural sugar and table sugar, which we add to food. Natural sugar is found in fruits and vegetables and is not dangerous. In addition to it, fruits contain water, fiber, vitamins and minerals. This allows you to eat fruits and vegetables without harm to health.

How much sugar can a healthy adult man and woman eat per day

Table sugar is considered harmful, and you need to limit yourself in it. Here's how many grams of sugar per day you can eat:

Children 2-3 years old - 25 g or 5 tsp.
Children 4-8 years old - 30 g or 6 tsp.
Girls 9-13 years old, women over 50 - 40 g or 8 tsp.
Boys 9-13 years old, girls 14-18 years old, women 30-50 years old - 45 g or 9 tsp.
Women 19-30 years old, men over 50 - 50 g or 10 tsp.
Men 30-50 years old - 55 g or 11 tsp.
Men 19-30 years old - 60 g or 12 tsp.

Please note that the data in the table are for healthy children and adults who are not overweight. If a person is sick or obese, the rate of sugar consumption is determined individually.

Why is eating too much sugar bad?

If you constantly abuse sugar, immunity decreases by about 17 times! This is especially noticeable in children. Sweet tooth suffer from colds much more often than those children who eat healthy food.

Sugar abuse leads to obesity. Eaten sweets are deposited on the sides, thighs, abdomen in the form of fatty layers. And if you eat fat along with sugar, then it is absorbed much faster. But the combination of fat and sugar is, for example, sweet cakes with cream loved by many.

Sugar causes a false feeling of hunger. Over time, sweet tooth lose control of their appetite.

Sugar is bad for our health and it has never been a secret. In fact, many doctors and nutritionists consider sugar to be one of the worst ingredients in the modern diet, given the fact that it's filled with "empty calories" meaning it has no additional nutrients at all and it can also contribute to weight gain. .

In addition to this, prolonged sugar consumption can also have a negative impact on our metabolism in the long run, and eating too much sugar can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type II diabetes (all of which can be fatal) .

However, have we considered how much sugar can be consumed on a daily basis to minimize the side effects that are closely associated with this ingredient? Here you will find more information about sugar intake, the safe amount of sugar you can eat in a day, and a deeper understanding of the latest research designed to shed light on this issue.

How many teaspoons of sugar can be consumed per day

When it comes to sugar, the rule is: the less we eat, the healthier we will feel. Sugar should be avoided, but truth be told, it adds flavor to most foods.

However, according to a report released by the AHA (American Heart Association), women need to consume varying amounts of sugar in order to stay fit and healthy for many years. While men are advised no more nine teaspoons of sugar, should consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar every day.

It's important to say that these "doses" include all the sugar we eat, not just the sugar we add to our food. Almost all the drinks and food we consume (especially pre-baked products) come with added sugar - which is why it's important to read the label before drinking a can of Coke or eating a bar of chocolate.

In addition, the estimated amount of sugar that we can eat daily without experiencing side effects also varies from one person to another, not only by gender, but also by the general health of that person.

People who are active and healthy obviously consume more sugar daily than those who are overweight and who are already at high risk of developing diabetes or other conditions associated with the condition.

One thing is for sure, there is absolutely no need to add sugar to your diet, aside from the added flavor and aroma, keeping in mind the fact that sugar serves no physiological purpose in particular.

Deeper Understanding of SugarScience - an initiative created by the University of California

For decades, doctors and scientists have been particularly concerned about the effects of sugar on the human body, and numerous studies have been done to highlight the side effects of increasing sugar intake.

The latest research that was started in this area is known as SugarScience, and this initiative was put forward by the University of California at San Francisco, with the sole purpose of showing people once again how dangerous sugar can be.

The project is quite ambitious, and the team of researchers at SugarScience has produced at least 8,000 other separate research papers and studies to look more closely at the effects of sugar on the human body.

The results weren't taken by surprise, as researchers were able to find compelling evidence linking high sugar intake to three major chronic diseases: liver disease, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

The SugarScience initiative was led by Laura Schmidt, who teaches health policy at the University of California, San Francisco. According to Ms. Schmidt, the goal of this project is to raise awareness about sugar and how increased sugar intake can lead to a host of serious diseases and conditions.

Added sugar is especially dangerous, especially for those who are already prone to developing one of the three dangerous diseases mentioned earlier. As part of the SugarScience initiative, a team of researchers has developed a comprehensive, user-friendly and easy-to-use website with the main goal of spreading the word and raising awareness about the side effects of added sugar.

The website not only features TV spots, but also downloadable resources that give people a deeper understanding of the matter, helping them understand the devastating side effects of sugar on their health. While the effects of added sugar may not be visible at this time, they will certainly become visible later in life.

In short, Laura Schmidt says that the whole purpose of the SugarScience project is to help “translate” the medical information associated with sugar supplementation into an accessible and comprehensive piece of information that anyone can read and “enjoy”, for a better understanding of what sugar is and its "mechanism of action" as soon as it reaches your body.

SugarScience does not provide new insights into this matter, but it does translate all the valuable information that has come from research in the past that has been locked up in medical journals, waiting for someone to make them available to the general public.

In addition to this valuable information available to the public, Laura Schmidt also highlights the impact the food industry is currently having on our health. And, obesity like prices have skyrocketed over the past few years, affecting more and more children in particular.

Schmidt and her team of researchers believe that this surge in obesity in the United States is the result of an increase in sugar consumption that began around the 1980s and has recently peaked.

The fact is, added sugar not only affects our appearance and waistline, but also our overall health – eating too much sugar can and will definitely make us sick.

In addition, statistics say that added sugar is hidden in about three-quarters of all foods, and fructose (which many consider to be a healthier alternative to sugar) can seriously damage our liver, even more than any other type of sugar on the market.

Dear blog readers, how many spoons of sugar do you think you can consume per day, leave comments or reviews. Someone will find this very useful!

Many people do not know, but the human body does not require refined sugar. Although, according to statistics, every day in Russia, each resident on average eats more than 100 gr. this product. At the same time, the allowable amount of sugar per day is significantly lower.

How much can you eat

When calculating the amount consumed, it is not enough to take into account only the sugar that you pour into milk porridge or tea in the morning. Do not forget that most products also contain it. Due to the excess consumption of sugar, the number of diseases has increased significantly in recent years.

How much sugar can be consumed per day without harm to health depends, first of all, on the age of the person. Gender also affects: men are allowed to eat sweets a little more.

The body of children aged 2-3 years should receive no more than 25 g of sugar per day: this is the maximum allowable amount, the optimal amount is up to 13 g.
Parents of children aged 4-8 years old should ensure that, on average, babies eat no more than 15-18 g of pure sugar per day. The maximum allowable daily dose is 35 g.
Between the ages of 9 and 13, the amount of sugar consumed can be increased to 20-23 g. You should not consume more than 45 g.
The optimal amount of sugar for women is the amount of 25 g. Permissible daily allowance: 50 g.
Men are recommended to eat about 23-30 g daily. The maximum amount of sugar for men is limited to 60 g.

Analyzing the composition of the products used, it should be noted that manufacturers often “mask” sugar, calling it:

dextrose, sucrose (regular refined sugar);
fructose, glucose (fructose syrup);
lactose (milk sugar);
invert sugar;
fruit juice concentrate;
maltose syrup;
maltose;
syrup.

This carbohydrate is a source of energy, but it has no biological value for the body. In addition, people suffering from overweight problems should know that 100 g of refined product contains 374 kcal.

Content in popular foods and drinks

When figuring out how much you can eat without harm, do not forget to consider the following sugar content:

in each glass of Coca-Cola or Pepsi drink with a capacity of 330 g - 9 tsp;
yogurt with a capacity of 135 mg contains 6 tsp;
hot chocolate with milk - 6 tsp;
latte with milk 300 ml - 7 tsp;
fat-free yogurt with vanilla flavor 150 ml - 5 tsp;
ice cream 90 g - 4 tsp;
chocolate bar Mars 51 g - 8 tsp;
milk chocolate bar - 10 tsp;
bitter chocolate bar - 5 tsp;
biscuit cake 100 g - 6 tsp;
honey 100 g - 15 tsp;
kvass 500 ml - 5 tsp;
lozenges 100 g - 17 tsp

The calculation is based on the fact that each teaspoon contains 5 g of sugar. Do not forget that many foods also contain glucose. Especially a lot of it is found in fruits. When calculating the daily ration, do not forget about this.

Setting limits

Having figured out how much the average person should consume, many understand that they should limit themselves. But the problem is that the effect of sugary drinks and other sugary foods is similar to how alcoholic beverages and drugs act on the body. That is why often people cannot limit their consumption of sweets.

Many people say that the only way to get rid of addiction is to go completely sugar free. We must understand that it is physically difficult to do this. The body is used to getting energy without straining. After all, the easiest way to get it from carbohydrates.

Therefore, after 1-2 days, people who have given up refined sugar begin to experience “withdrawal”. Craving for sweets for many is irresistible. There is lethargy, headaches, general well-being worsens.

But over time, things will get better. The body learns to release energy differently if the usual dose of simple carbohydrates does not enter the body. At the same time, the condition of people who have decided to significantly reduce the level of consumption of refined sugar is noticeably improving. Weight loss is a nice bonus.

Change in diet

Some consciously decide to change their lifestyle. This allows you to noticeably improve your well-being, become healthier. Some have to watch their diet for medical reasons. If not everyone can decide on a complete rejection of sugar, then it is easy to significantly reduce its amount in the diet.

It will be difficult for you to exceed the daily amount of sugar intake (for a person in grams established) if you:

give up sugary soft drinks;
stop drinking store-bought fruit juices;
reduce the consumption of sweets in the form of cookies, sweets, chocolate;
try to minimize the amount of baking (including homemade): buns, muffins, biscuits and other cakes;
you will not use jam, canned fruits in syrup;
Avoid "diet" foods that are low in fat, which tend to be high in sugar.

Keep in mind that healthy dried fruits contain a lot of glucose. Therefore, you should not eat them uncontrollably. If necessary, you should ask a nutritionist how much you can eat without harm to health. The maximum amount of sugar will be in dried bananas, dried apricots, raisins, dates. For example, in 100 g:

dried bananas 80 g sugar;
in dried apricots - 72.2;
in dates - 74;
in raisins - 71.2.

People who decide to deliberately minimize the amount of sugar entering the body are advised to pay attention to recipes that use vanilla, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, and lemon instead of this refined product.

Consequences of too much sugar

The allowable amount of sugar that you need to consume per day is determined for a reason. After all, the passion for this product becomes the reason:

development of obesity;
atherosclerotic changes in the vessels;
the appearance of problems in the work of the endocrine system;
liver diseases;
development of type 2 diabetes;
the appearance of hypertension;
occurrence of heart problems.

But this is not a complete list of problems that people face when they allow themselves to eat sugar in excessive amounts. It is addictive and provokes the appearance of a false feeling of hunger. This means that people who eat a lot of sweets experience hunger due to a disruption in the process of neural regulation. As a result, they begin to overeat, and they develop obesity.

Not everyone knows, but refined carbohydrates stimulate the aging process. The skin wrinkles earlier due to the fact that sugar begins to accumulate in the skin, reducing their elasticity. In addition, it attracts and retains free radicals that destroy the body from the inside.

This can be avoided if you remember the daily intake.

When it is exceeded, there is a deficiency of B vitamins in the body. This leads to an increase in nervous excitability, a feeling of fatigue, visual impairment, the development of anemia, and digestive disorders.

Excess intake of sugar provokes changes in the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Calcium, which comes with food, ceases to be absorbed. This is not the worst thing, because sugar reduces the body's defenses several times.

We all love sweets very much, but medicine believes that sugar in its pure form is the most dangerous and harmful additive of all possible for humans. This white product saturates us with absolutely empty calories, which do not contain a single drop of nutrients, which negatively affects metabolic processes.

If you consume too much sugar every day, then this causes weight gain and the onset of the development of concomitant diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems.

Is all sugar the same?

Sometimes it is too difficult to understand the optimal amount of sugar that you can consume per day without compromising your own health. In addition, it is very important to clearly understand the difference between the sugar that we pour from the bag and the natural sugar in vegetables and fruits.

These products are completely different substances. Table sugar is the result of industrial production and has nothing to do with natural sugar, which is rich in water, fiber and various nutrients that are very beneficial to the body.

Those who carefully monitor the state of health and want to lose weight should opt for the second option and rely on sugar in its natural state.

Sugar consumption guidelines

Based on the data that was collected in 2008 in America, the average person consumes more than 28 kilograms of granulated sugar per year. Fruit juices and sodas were not included in the count, suggesting that the amount of sugar is understated.

At the same time, it was decided that the norm and the total volume of the consumed sweet product was 76.7 grams per day, which is approximately 19 teaspoons and 306 calories. We can say that this is the norm or daily dose for a person.

In recent years, it has become important for a person to eat right, and people are doing everything to reduce the dose of sugar intake, but this figure is still far from acceptable. It is safe to say that the population began to consume less sweet drinks, which is good news, and the daily rate of its consumption is also falling.

However, the consumption of granulated sugar is still high, which causes the development of many diseases, as well as exacerbation of existing ones. Excessive sugar in food leads to such diseases:

diabetes mellitus;
obesity
vascular diseases;
some types of cancerous lesions;
problems with teeth;
liver failure.

How to determine a safe amount of sugar?

The Academy for the Study of Heart Disease has conducted special studies that have helped establish the maximum possible amount of sugar to consume. Men are allowed to consume 150 calories per day (which equates to 9 teaspoons or 37.5 grams). For women, this amount will be reduced to 100 calories (6 teaspoons or 25 grams).

In order to more clearly imagine these incomprehensible numbers, it should be noted that one small can of Coca-Cola will contain 140 calories, and a Snickers bar will contain 120 calories of sugar, and this is far from the norm for sugar consumption.

If a person follows his shape, is active and fit, then such a volume of sugar consumed will not harm him, because these calories can be burned fairly quickly.

In cases where you are overweight, obese, or even diabetic, you should stay away from sugary foods and consume sugar-based foods a maximum of twice a week, but not every day.

Those who have willpower can completely refuse those foods that are artificially saturated with sugar. Any carbonated drinks, pastries or processed foods contain sugar and have a negative impact on well-being.

For your own health and safety, it is better to eat simple foods. It is mono-ingredient food that will help keep the body in great shape.

How to resist temptation?

Medicine claims that sugary drinks and food can stimulate the same parts of the human brain as drugs. That is why many people cannot control themselves and consume sweets in unlimited quantities.

The only way out of the situation will be the complete and strict restriction of sugar intake. Only in this case it will be possible to talk about getting rid of pathological dependence.

How to cut down on sugar on your own?

To achieve this goal, the following foods should be avoided:

any soft drinks, because their sugar content just rolls over;
fruit juice industrial production. There is no less sugar in these drinks than in soda;
confectionery and sweets;
sweet muffins and pastries. Such a product contains not only sugar, but also fast empty carbohydrates;
fruits preserved in syrup;
low fat foods. It is in these foods that there are many sugars that give them taste;
dried fruits.

How to replace?

To deceive your stomach, you can try to drink only pure water, without adding sweeteners to it. It will be good to refuse sweet tea, coffee and soda. Instead of sweet foods that are unnecessary for the body, you need to choose those that include lemon, cinnamon, ginger or almonds.

You can diversify your diet through creativity and ingenuity. There are many recipes that require a minimum amount of sugar. If you really want to, then you can add a natural analogue of granulated sugar to food - stevia herb extract or.

Sugar and semi-finished products

The ideal way to get rid of sugar addiction would be a complete rejection of the use of convenience foods. The best way to satisfy your sweet tooth is with fruits, berries, and sweet vegetables. Such food can be consumed in any quantity and does not involve counting calories and constantly studying labels and markings.

If, nevertheless, it is not possible to completely get rid of semi-finished products, then you should choose them as carefully as possible. First of all, it is important to understand that sugar can be named differently: sucrose, sugar, glucose, syrup, etc.

Under no circumstances should you buy a product in the list of components of which sugar is in the first place. You can not choose a semi-finished product if it contains more than one type of sugar.

In addition, it is important to pay attention to healthy sugars, for example, honey, agave, and also coconut natural sugar have shown themselves very well from a dietary point of view.

Sugar is a product that few people can do without today. It is often added to various dishes. The sweet ones can't imagine life without it at all. Today, this sweetener is sold on every corner. But experts say that its excessive consumption is dangerous for health. Therefore, you need to know how much sugar you can consume per day. We will talk about this in our article.

Is there sugar?

Sweet lovers are hard to convince that excessive consumption of it is dangerous. Some people cannot imagine a coffee or tea drink without a few good spoons of sugar. Let's figure it out: to eat or not to eat this white powder.

It is added today to many products, and in some natural (for example, in fruits) it is contained initially.

Industrially produced sugar derivatives are:

glucose;
lactose;
dextrose;
fructose;
etc.

and calories

In addition to fruits, natural sugar can even be found in bread and pasta. It turns out that there is no real need for a person! Sweets have simply become a drug, and no one can refuse them. There are quite a few types of sugar produced alone:

reed;
sorghum;
sugar beet;
maple;
palm;
other.

However, no matter what type of this product is taken, in fact it turns out that everyone has the same calorie content. This white enemy daily harms the entire body.

Harm or benefit

But how much sugar can you eat per day? We add a little powder to coffee, tea, it is contained in a pie and other food. That is, we use it uncontrollably. Alas, this cannot continue for a long time without negative consequences. Because sugar:

is a heavy product for the body, which, when absorbed, leads to calcium deficiency, as it washes out the last of the bones; because of this, osteoporosis develops and teeth are destroyed;
pieces of refined sugar are gradually deposited in the liver, transforming into glycogen, which consists of bound glucose molecules, and when the allowable rate is exceeded, fat reserves begin to form;
there is a feeling of hunger, which is not natural, and a sharp increase in insulin and glucose levels causes overeating;
as a result, cardiovascular diseases develop, the risk of heart attack and stroke increases - this is how sweet teeth pay for their love;
in addition, increased consumption of sweets leads to premature aging, as the firmness and elasticity of the skin is lost, free radicals accumulate in the body and wrinkles quickly appear;
sugar is a real drug, gradually causing a strong addiction;
sweets weaken the immune system, thus opening the door to diabetes with the risk of many complications.

Sugar rate

If, after all the information received, the question is still relevant for you: how much sugar can be consumed per day, then we note that experts give different numbers. This and 9-10 spoons daily, or from 30 to 50 grams. But after you learn about all the side effects, even knowing how many grams of sugar you can consume per day, it becomes clearly uncomfortable. If there is no benefit in this product, then is it worth eating it at all? And if it is decided to give up sugar, then how to exclude it from the diet, if it can be contained in the most natural products that we consume daily?

In order to find out how much sugar can be consumed per day, so as not to harm your health, you must first understand that there is natural sugar contained in natural products, and table sugar, from which all troubles and troubles appear. If you avoid this second type of sugar, then the load on the body will decrease significantly. And if you find a natural substitute for him, then the sweet tooth will not remain unhappy.

What stories are told about sugar?

Sweet lovers respond in his favor, citing the fact that sugar maintains normal brain activity. But if you look into the issue, it turns out that this is just a myth. Of course, the body needs glucose. However, he gets it from complex carbohydrates found both in fruits and in cereals, vegetables and other natural products. Moreover, splitting slowly, the substance does not enter the blood immediately, so the sugar level decreases smoothly, and does not need additional feeding with sweets.

Sweeteners such as Neotame, Aspartame and Sucralose are known on the market. The question arises as to how useful they are for the body and whether they cope with their task. But experts do not give a definite answer to it. Research is ongoing. One thing is for sure: they are forbidden to pregnant women and children.

Another interesting question worries those who want to lose weight: how much sugar can a person consume per day to lose extra pounds? The answer for the sweet tooth will be disappointing. For this purpose, you will need to completely abandon sugar and start eating properly healthy foods.

But what about those who cannot imagine their life without sugar? Can it be replaced with at least honey? Despite the fact that honey contains exactly no less calories than sugar, it is a very useful product for the body and will not harm it. Therefore, of course, instead of sugar, it is better to use a spoonful of honey.

But a variety of confectionery and soda definitely fall into the "black list". Thus, you will have to forget about all sorts of bars, pastries, convenience foods, store-bought fruit juices and canned fruits. But it is unlikely that children will be able to explain the harm of sweets. Therefore, when deciding how much sugar a child can consume per day, you need to think, first of all, about the type that is contained in natural products. Artificial sugar, according to some experts, for children under 3 years old is needed in the amount of 10 g per day, and from 3 years old - 15 g.

What instead

Instead of looking for an answer to the question of how many tablespoons of sugar you can consume per day, it is better to find natural products and use them. For example, the herb stevia has a sweetish taste. It can be added to food without harming your health.

The honey mentioned above will also be an excellent "sugar substitute". But it is better not to overdo it with it, as the number of calories in this product goes off scale.

Conclusion

So, it is best to give up sweets completely. Natural products contain more than enough substances necessary for human life. Therefore, you should not believe sugar and sweets producing companies that come up with various myths about how useful this product is and how much sugar can be consumed per day for diabetes and other diseases. Best answer: not at all.