We all know sugar is not the healthiest option for us, but just how much of an impact can it have on your health?
According to the USDA, Americans have become conspicuous consumers of sugar and sweet-tasting foods and beverages. The USDA recommends that the average person on a 2,000-calorie daily diet include no more than 40 grams of added sugars. That’s about 10 teaspoons, or the amount of sugar in a 12-ounce soft drink. Yet, the average American consumes 19.5 teaspoons (82 grams) every day, 90% more versus the recommendation. That translates into about 66 pounds of added sugar consumed each year, per person.
Let that sink in for a second. The average American consumes 66 pounds of added sugar per year!
What happens when we consume that much sugar? Well, one recent study suggests that adding sugar to your diet can significantly increase the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States and kills more than 600,000 Americans each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA Internal Medicine), scientists analyzed trends of added sugar consumption as a percentage of daily calories in the United States and investigated the association between sugar consumption and CVD mortality.
Researchers examined national health and diet surveys between 1988 and 2010, which included more than 30,000 Americans with an average age of 44. Participants were divided into five categories based on levels of sugar intake, from less than 10 percent of daily calories — the safest amount — to more than 25 percent. Researchers used national death data on close to 12,000 adults, including 831 who died from heart disease during the 15-year follow-up. Researchers took into account other factors known to contribute to heart problems, including smoking, inactivity, and excess weight.
Results of the study showed that most American adults consume more added sugar than is generally recommended. Compared to those who consumed about 8% of daily calories from added sugar, adults who consumed between 17% and 21% of their daily calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality.
Additionally, subjects who consumed 21% or more of their daily calories through added sugar had more than twice the risk of CVD mortality versus those who consumed about 8%.
Although more research is needed, results of this study show a significant relationship between added sugar consumption and increased risk of CVD mortality.
If you’re watching your sugar intake, and we highly recommend you do, be sure to look at the drinks your consuming. That’s where a lot of the added sugar is hidden! Most drinks claiming to be “healthy," especially juices, smoothies, and most “high” protein shakes on the market, are actually low in daily nutrients and even worse; their first ingredient is typically added sugar!
A healthy and balanced protein shake can be a great way to supplement your diet and help you recover from workouts, but make sure to dive deeper into the label, and look for protein shakes that are high in vegan protein, low in added sugar, and scientifically designed with a unique blend of vitamins, minerals, and marco- and mircronutrients.
