The Pros And Cons Of Sugar

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What do the leading causes of death at the moment have in common? Not only are they chronic conditions for the most part, but they also have been linked to sugar consumption. Sugar has been around for a long time in history, needless to say it enhances the flavour of our foods. There are two main types of sugar that take part in our American diet today, natural sugars and added sugars. Natural sugars are those found naturally in foods such as fructose in fruit and lactose in milk (Heart.org). On the contrary, added sugars are any sugars or caloric sweeteners which are added onto foods and beverages during processing (Heart.org). Added sugars can also include natural sugars that are chemically manufactured. Examples of this include natural sugars such as white sugar, brown …show more content…

The American Heart Association (AHA) among other experts worldwide have made consistent recommendations regarding daily sugar intake however research has provided evidence that the American population surpasses these recommendations putting their health at risk. These recommendations include limiting added sugar to “6 tsps (25 g) for women, 9 tsps (38 g) for men”, and limiting added sugar intake for children to “Range between 3-6 teaspoons (12 - 25 grams) per day” (UCSF,2014). However, data collected by the Department of health and Human services and the Centers for Disease Control and prevention suggests that “The average American consumes 19.5 teaspoons (82 grams) every day” (Ervin et al. 2013). The US Department of Agriculture translates this to “About 66 pounds of added sugar consumed each year, per person” (USDA,

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