The average American consumes 130 pounds of sugar a year. A recent 60 Minutes segment said the sweet stuff is as addictive as cocaine. Your body needs some sugar for energy, but most of us eat too much. Here's how to cut back (11 Photos)
Arricca Elin SanSone on Apr 3, 2012 at 12:33PM
chime in now
There's naturally occurring sugar -- fructose in fruit and lactose in milk -- and there are added sugars that areput into food and drinks during processing. According to the American Heart Association, women should have no more than 6 teaspoons per day of added sugar, which is 24 grams. Most of us get more than 22 teaspoons per day. “It’s not that sugar has to be avoided completely,” says Marisa Moore, a registered dietician based in Atlanta and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You just need to be mindful that it’s added to many foods and beverages, and excess sugar can lead to weight gain.”
