How much sugar? Math, Information, Links and Articles!

The World Health Organization?s recommends that 10% percent of your total calories come from sugars. Here is how the math breaksdown:

1200 calories, 10% = 120 calories = 30.0 g of sugar
1300 calories, 10% = 130 calories = 32.5 g of sugar
1400 calories, 10% = 140 calories = 35.0 g of sugar
1500 calories, 10% = 150 calories = 37.5 g of sugar
1600 calories, 10% = 160 calories = 40.0 g of sugar
1700 calories, 10% = 170 calories = 42.5 g of sugar
1800 calories, 10% = 180 calories = 45.0 g of sugar
1900 calories, 10% = 190 calories = 47.5 g of sugar
2000 calories, 10% = 200 calories = 50.0 g of sugar
2100 calories, 10% = 210 calories = 52.5 g of sugar
2200 calories, 10% = 220 calories = 55.0 g of sugar
2300 calories, 10% = 230 calories = 57.5 g of sugar
2400 calories, 10% = 240 calories = 60.0 g of sugar

ix - I have been struggling with a sugar free diet for a couple of months now (well, lower sugar at least) and sometimes it can be so overwhelming because everything has sugar in it...I feel like I spend at least 30 extra minutes in the grocery store reading labels and ingredients, shaking my head and putting products back.

I just want to say I appreciate you posting all this information, because the rest of my family still consumes too much sugar, and now I realize how important it is to curb everyone's sugar... especially my little girl!!

Refined and processed are 2 words I am beginning to thouroughly dislike!!!  :)

Again thank you for all your info, it helps keep me motivated!

PS - what are the recommendations for naturally occuring sugars - ie. fruit fresh and dried, honey etc.  are we still allowed 3-5 servings of fruit?

Hi Lupa! You know, there is a whole debate about honey. Some say that it is great, some say that because it is basically bee puke, it is not good for human consumption. Who knows? I have often read that maple syrup is the best. I think, as with anything, moderation is the best. Keep yourself informed and make decisions on what you feel is best solution to fit into your life. There's a lot of really great information out there regarding sugars, so a lot of time could be spent on doing research.

Thanks ix,

I'll have to look into it and see what i come up with, I'll post any good findings :)

Thanks for taking the time to find all of this information on sugar and related topics. However, some of this information is misleading and down right untrue.

For Example:

"Soda -... filled with harmful artificial sweeteners like *aspartame - NutraSweet, Equal (in the "diet" varieties)."

"Aspartame -  ...(is) a chemical poison (neurotoxin) - should never been approved for consumption as it poses a public health threat."


- where did this information come from? Artificial sweeteners (or non-nutrative sweeteners) are not GRAS substances. This means that the FDA tested and retested (more than 100 studies for most sweeteners) to check for safety. In fact, it takes almost 8 years for a substance to be approved as a food additive.

"French Fries - Nearly all commercially fried foods are:
? high in trans fat (potatoes cooked at high temperatures in vegetable oils)
? high in free radicals harmful to the body
? high in acrylamide (up to 82 mcg per serving), a potent cancer-causing chemical formed as a result of unknown chemical reactions during high-temperature frying or baking."

- first off, vegetable oils are not all high in trans fat, it is the hydrogenated ones that are. Many french fries are now making a move to oils that are trans fat free. Also, I wouldn't go as far to say that acrylamide is a "potent cancer-causing chemical." Studies have failed to show that there is an increased risk of cancer with high levels of consumption of acrylamide (300-1200 micrograms per kilogram body weight/ per day). Also to say that they are "formed as a result of unknown chemical reactions" is kind of silly. As any food chemist could tell you, they are formed from the amino acid asparagine reacting with reducing sugars usually at high temperatures.

 Take home message: Everything you read on the internet is not neccisarily true and everyone has their own agenda; take it with a grain of salt.  Let's take the paranoia down a notch.

Cham, I posted the resources where the information came from. Is it really misleading and down right untrue? That is your opinion. Think think folks should read at their own discretion and make their own decisions reading the information.

We all know that too much sugar in a person's diet can be harmful. Moderation, moderation, moderation. That is all the information is suppose to represent. I believe it is essential to educate yourself on issues that are of concern and importance to your situation.

Cham, do you have some links or data to post that would perhaps show the information in a different light?

I am not denying that people need to watch the amount of sugar in their diets. However, I just don't want people to get overly concenrned/paranoid about healty risks that just aren't true. Alot of this information I have learned from text books and courses I have taken (I am studying food science, so I have taken many courses on the subject such as food chemistry, food toxicology, food safety, etc.)

Here are a few links:

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2006/406_swe eteners.html

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/pr ess01282003.html

Sorry for deviating from the original topic!

Hey, no problem Cham!! The more information, the better!! We all can benefit from learning more on the subject! Thanks for sharing those links look like great stuff!

finewine58 - u funny, and its SO weird, because that really happened to me! sugar snuck up on me one night while i was sleeping, and ever since then, ralph wiggum has become the protagonist in all of my dreams - i am thankful because i have nice fluffly dreams now, but i ask you, how weird is that?

ralph soundbytes http://www.bubblebathgirl.com/fun/wiggum/

Thank you for this thread!!! I read most of it and I am already getting sick just knowing that I was damaging my health for free with that sugar thing. I experienced a few symptoms everytime I eat sugar. I get depressed and my body start shacking... My head spins it's so weird!!!! One day I was in bed right after eating carrot cake because of my stupidity, then while in bed I thought I was gonna lhave a heart attack. At first I didn't know what it was but I guess now I do! I think that my health status is getting so serious right now that It is mandatory for me to stop eating sugar. But I will eat every 2 hours like you recommended it. I think I could get an apple or a protein shake (sugar free) made out of soy portein powder. Then for my meals I will exclude breads and just eat proteins and veggies for now. I need to get rid of that addiction quick!!! THanks again and wish me luck! I know it won't be easy :) :( 

Hey this has loads of great info! thanks *bump*

great post!!