HEALTH & BEAUTY HEALTH
Candy Season is Here SO HOW CAN WE LIMIT OUR SUGAR INTAKE? By Dylan Roche
Sugar might taste sweet, but the reality of its health effects is a little more bitter. Although the Dietary Guidelines for Americans put out by the Department of Health and Human Services recommend you limit your added sugar to no more than 10 percent of your daily calories, adults and children throughout the United States are greatly exceeding that.
And unfortunately, cutting back on sugar isn’t as simple as abstaining from trick-or-treating. Sugar is found in many processed foods—not only the usual suspects like cookies, cake, and ice cream, but even foods like bread, cereal, yogurt, spaghetti sauce, and protein bars are packed with added sugar. And it could be taking a toll on your health.
It’s even worse this time of year. The National Retail Federation estimates people will spend a collective $2.08 billion on candy ahead of Halloween—and the average person will consume more than three pounds of candy over the month of October!
WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT ADDED SUGAR?
Think about a fun-size portion of Halloween candy. A miniature Snickers bar contains 8 grams of added sugar—just over 1.5 teaspoons. And a mini box of Nerds or bag of Skittles has 11 grams, totaling 2.25 teaspoons. 86
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There’s a difference between added sugar and the naturally occurring sugars found in foods like fruit and dairy. Added sugars deliver calories without any added nutrients. This means that when your diet is high in sugar, it’s very difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals you need for proper function without taking in an excess number of calories, which can lead to weight gain.
