How added sugar leads to health hazards?

Added sugars are the sugars and syrups added to food during preparation or processing and at the table.At present an average American is consuming 22 teaspoons or 355 calories of added sugar,which the AHA (American Heart Association) found too much and it advices Americans to decrease it dramatically, because there is a relationship between added sugar and several metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes and hypertension.

1.Fortune cookies : Just one fortune cookie packs about 3.6 grams of added sugar.

2.Flavored booze : Exercise good judgment when you drink-1 ounce of crème de menthe has 14 grams of added sugar; 53-proof coffee-flavored liqueur has 16 grams of added sugar per ounce.

3. Baked beans: A 1-cup serving of canned baked beans with no salt added will cost you nearly 15 grams of added sugar.

4.Dried, sweetened cranberries: Without the sweetener, this fruit can be incredibly tart. But one serving-a third of a cup-of this treat will hit you with 25 grams of added sugar.

5.Ketchup: A favorite condiment, a single 1-cup serving of regular-or low sodium-ketchup racks up nearly 40 grams of added sugar.

6.Cream substitutes: A 1-cup serving of a liquid "light" cream substitute packs 22 grams of added sugar, while a 1-cup serving of a powdered "light" cream substitute adds a whopping 69 grams.

7.BBQ sauce: A 1-cup serving of this summertime favorite adds 9 grams of added sugar onto those ribs and chicken.

8."Reduced" salad dressings: A 1-cup serving of reduced-calorie French dressing heaps 58 grams of added sugar, and a 1-cup serving of reduced-fat coleslaw dressing hits a home run with 103 grams of added sugar.

9.Lemonade: A cup of lemonade powder has a massive 200 grams of added sugar. A single serving of the drink has almost 17 grams of added sugar.

10.Flavored popcorn: Think the added sweetener can't be that bad here? Fat-free-syrup caramel popcorn has 18 grams of added sugar per ounce serving.

11.Granola bars: Often deemed a healthful snack, some are tricky-a 1-ounce serving of a granola bar with oats, fruit and nuts has 11 grams of added sugar

For the first time, the AHA released guidelines, which set some upper limits on our added sugar consumption.

Accordingly, the women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons (about 100 calories or 25 gms) and most men no more than 9 teaspoons (150 calories or 37.5 gms) of added sugar.

We are consuming added sugars in the form of soft drinks, desserts, jellies, honey, high fructose corn syrup sucrose, corn sweeteners respectively. Among those culprits soft drinks and the other sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugar. For example one 12 ounce can of regular soda contains 130 calories (or) 8 tsp of sugar.

Rachel K. Johnson, lead author of the statement published online in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, said it was time to give specific advice on how much added sugar Americans should be getting, not just advising moderation

1. According to her,"sugar has no nutritional value other than providing empty calories and displaces more nutritious foods in our diet"

2. High intake of added sugars is implicated in numerous poor health conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and high level of C-reactive proteins which are linked to inflammation (as a marker of heart diseases and stroke).

3. Added sugar in sodas and other beverages may lead to malnutrition, tooth decay and some stomach problems such as gas and diarrhea in kids.

Also NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) published some shocking results about added sugnar intake among 14-18 yrs old children, who had the highes intake of 34.3 tsp/day in contrast to adult intake.

Like fats, there are 2 types of sugars, Good sugar and Bad sugar. Good sugars or complex carbohydrates, are present in foods that provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Examples of complex carbohydrates include foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

Bad sugars, often referred to as simple sugars, are those in foods that do not offer any other nutritional benefit. Examples of simple sugars include foods like soda, sweets, sugar cereals, juice drinks, and refined grains.

1. Read the label content in your food. But this may be little bit tricky , most of the food labels they indirectly include the sugar contents in fancy words like fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, saccharides which we cannot identify easily.
But here is a way, there is a website which calculate added sugar in every food we are eating in our day to day life.

Here is a link to a blog which describes the different names for sugar
Different names for sugar

2. Avoid sodas.Consuming more soda to lose the thirst only increases it. Not so long afterward your kidneys give you signal that they need water. If you are addicted to soda, Try to reduce it by substituting soda with carbonated fruit juices with no added sugar like "Fizzy lizzy" or "Izze".

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3. Eat fresh fruits daily. Drinking canned fruit juice only is not equal as eating fresh fruit. Fruit juice is absorbed faster in our stomach than fresh fruit. The cellulose from fresh fruit and vegetable maintains our digestion system healthy. Also, don't forget that some fruit juices are added extra sugar. Fresh fruit contains natural sugars that satisfy body metabolism without overdoing it.If you want to drink fruit juices try 100% Fruit juices without added sugar in it, like "Fruit a day" or " apple and eve" or whatever brands you like or try V8 V-FUSIONS

4. Oatmeal for breakfast. Instead of pre-sweetened cereal with milk choose oatmeal for your breakfast. Oatmeal offers more fiber and protein than cold cereals. The fiber will provide a steady level of energy and fullness until meal time in the afternoon.you can also choose cereals with no sugar added or less sugar cereal like "Total".

You may also like to see this website about " How to pick a breakfast cereal"
HOW TO PICK A BREAKFAST CEREAL

5. Choose only low calorie snacks. Buy low calorie snack in bulk and take it in your lunch bag every day. You can avoid unhealthy snack from vending machine and still enjoyed in moderation with the same satisfaction. This is your first aid to combat anytime the sweet cravings strike.

Always have some dry fruits or nut handy to satisfy sweet cravings and also it will load you with lots of energy.

Say "No" to office goodies. Choose only snack you bring from home if you want to eat during your work. Sometimes the boss or your colleague bring in donuts or other sweet treats on holidays, you may take one but the second one must come from your own lunch bag. This is the easy way to avoid the office fat trap. Keep your own jar of healthy snacks on your desk and offer it to spread healthy eating habits on your office.

6. Watch what you drink. While soft drinks account for almost half of the added sugars in the American diet, many ready-to-drink teas and juice drinks are also loaded with sugar. For healthier versions, spike water with a few ounces of strongly flavored tea, a generous squeeze of lemon or lime, or ice cubes made of fruit juice. Or blend your own smoothies from fresh or frozen fruit, nonfat yogurt.

7. Substitute with spices. Add sweetness and flavor to food with cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, mace, and nutmeg. Muffins and quick breads can be made with 25 percent less sugar, by using apple sauce or sweet potato puree .