U.S. heart group urges reducing sugar intake

The group said women should eat no more than 100 calories of added sugar per day, or six teaspoons (25 grams), while most men should keep it to just 150 calories or nine teaspoons (37.5 grams).

That's far below the 22 teaspoons (90 grams) or 355 calories of added sugar consumed by the average American each day, according to a 2004 government survey.

The guidelines apply to any sugar or sugar syrup added in food processing or at the table as opposed to sugar found naturally in food such as fruit.

But the researchers take particular aim at the estimated US$115 billion U.S. market for soft drinks, which Johnson said represent the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet.

“For the first time we've created specific recommendations about the amount of sugars that can be consumed in a heart-healthy diet,” Rachel Johnson of the University of Vermont, lead author of the policy statement published in the journal Circulation, said in a telephone interview.

Johnson said U.S. labels on packaged foods do not distinguish between naturally occurring or added sugars, but she said anything labeled “syrup” in the ingredients list is likely an added sugar.

Too much sugar not only makes Americans fat but also is a key culprit in diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, according to the report.

Prior heart association recommendations issued in 2006 recommended people minimize intake of added sugars. Now the group is eliminating any room for doubt, Johnson said.

U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines are less specific. They recommend decreased intake of food or beverages with added sugars as a way to maintain a healthy weight, but they do not give specific calorie limits.

The heart association report focused on added sugars, not naturally occurring sugars in food.

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