Health experts have been warning us about the hazards of sugar for years. For the first time, the food and drug administration has weighed in, recommending a cap on
sugar consumption. Their goal is to limit added sugar to no more than 10 perfect of daily calories.
This warning goes beyond the usual culprits, such as candy, cookies and soft drinks.
Caloric sweetener also lurks in foods with health appeal, like low fat yogurt, granola and whole grain bread as well as ketchup, pasta sauces and prepared soups. The FDA wants to
change food labels to help consumers distinguish between naturally occurring sugar and the amount of added sugar. A yogurt, for instance, can contain just a tiny amount of real fruit
and a lot of added sugar.
What’s at stake? Separate from weight gain, new research suggests that a high-sugar diet can cause tooth decay, insulin resistance and hypertension and has
also been implicated in cardiovascular disease-related deaths.
