What Are Recommendations for the Level of “Added Sugar” in the Diet?

As part of the DRIs it is recommended that the intake of “added sugar” not exceed 25 percent of calories. However, many nutritionists would like to see this recommendation lowered. That’s because diets higher in added sugars are linked to excessive calorie consumption and thus obesity as well-being linked either directly or indirectly to heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis. Meanwhile the USDA recommends that an adult consuming 2,000-calorie daily, the amount that would approximate weight maintenance for an average woman not exceed 40 grams of added sugars. That level of added sugar (roughly 10 teaspoons) is the amount of sugar in a 12-ounce soft drink.
 

Added sugars, which could be considered the most common food additive is found in a variety of foods in the form of sucrose, corn sweeteners, honey, maple syrup, and molasses. You will find it in some unlikely places, such as pizza, bread, hot dogs, boxed mixed rice, soup, crackers, spaghetti sauce, lunch meat, canned vegetables, fruit drinks, flavored yogurt, ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise, and some peanut butter.