People in the United States eat a lot of sugar – about 17 teaspoons daily. That’s more than the amount of sugar that the government recommends for a healthy diet.
Sugar is a sweetener often added to foods like yogurt, protein bars, and sports drinks. But it doesn’t have any important nutrients. There are other sweeteners that can be used instead of sugar, and some people call these artificial sweeteners.
Artificial Sweeteners
Sugar-Free?
Sometimes foods or drinks are labeled “sugar-free”. But this doesn’t always mean they don’t have any sugar. According to the rules of the government agency that checks food safety, food can be called “sugar-free” as long as it has less than half a gram of sugar in each serving.
Increase your chances of getting the big one
A study found that men who drink a lot of sugary drinks are more likely to have a heart attack from one than men who sometimes have sugary drinks.
Sugar Water
Water and sugar water can be as good for athletes as sports drinks, and sometimes they are even better. It takes a long time to burn off the sugar from a soda – about an hour and 50 minutes of jogging or 5 miles of walking. Sugar can also cause inflammation, which can lead to obesity and diabetes.
Why People Like Sweets
Some people are more likely to like sweet foods because of the genes they got from their parents. Other things that can affect how much someone likes sweet foods are their age, life experiences, culture, and family history.
Sugar Medicine
A long time ago, sugar was first grown in New Guinea and was used as medicine to treat different health problems. Sugar can also be used to stop hiccups, clean dirty hands, and put out fires.