by Amy Spangler
March 01, 2010

I cultivated my sweet tooth at a young age, born into a family where Hostess Sno Balls and Twinkies were the preferred afterschool snack. I could have/should have washed down the crumbly treats with a glass of milk, but chose instead an ice cold Coke—21 teaspoons of sugar, the equivalent of 90 grams or 450 calories. Is it any wonder that my siblings and I struggle with weight gain?

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day (100 calories, 25 grams, or the equivalent of one cup of vanilla ice cream). For men the recommendation is no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories, 38 grams, or the equivalent of one 12-ounce can of Coke).

In 2009, the AHA, citing new evidence showing that added sugars increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes, issued a public warning, “Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health,” cautioning Americans to limit their intake of added sugars.

Added sugars (as opposed to sugars that occur naturally in foods) have been described by the AHA as discretionary calories. For example, an average woman needs 1,800 calories a day. In order to get the amounts of vegetables, fruits, lean protein, dairy products, and whole grains her body needs, she will spend 1,600 calories, leaving only 200 calories for whatever else she wants to eat or drink. If what she ‘wants’ exceeds 200 calories, she will need to burn those extra calories or risk gaining weight.

Between 1970 and 2005, Americans’ average annual intake of sugar increased by 19 percent, with sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly soft drinks, leading the way. In a study of 51,000 women, those who gained the most weight over a four-year period were those who went from drinking no more than one soft drink a week to drinking at least one a day. So much for, “Have a Coke and a smile.”

While weight gain, especially in the mid-section can increase the risk of heart disease, data suggest that sugar-sweetened beverages may cause heart disease regardless of whether you gain weight. Harvard researchers followed nearly 90,000 women for 24 years and found that those who drank two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day had a 20 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to those who drank less than one a month. Researchers have theorized that the increased risk may be related to the fact that sugar, specifically fructose, raises triglyceride levels.

Fructose versus glucose. Sucrose (table sugar) contains equal parts of fructose and glucose. Fructose is taken up by the liver where it is converted into fat. Much of the fat is excreted into the bloodstream, increasing triglyceride levels and the risk of heart disease. In contrast, glucose is absorbed directly into the bloodstream, increasing blood sugar levels and the risk of diabetes. When it comes to sugars, one is as bad as the next.

Calorie-free but not risk-free. Research shows that artificial sweeteners can reduce the risk of weight gain. But given the lack of safety data, artificial sweeteners should be used with caution, especially in children and young adults.

Added sugars have no redeeming value. Most sugary foods are simply junk foods. The following suggestions will help keep you and your family healthy:

• Limit added sugars to no more than 100 to 150 calories a day for women and men.
• Avoid all sugar-sweetened beverages.
• Limit fruit juices to no more than 1 cup a day.
• Estimate your calorie needs and those of your children at mypyramid.gov.

In case you were wondering, a two-pack of Hostess Twinkies and Sno Balls contains 9 1/2 and 11 1/2 teaspoons of sugar, respectively—two days’ worth of added sugar.