There is a debate raging about the role of sugar in today's diet and its relationship to disease.

There are those who say that sugar is ruining the nation's health, that it is a primary dietary evil leading to obesity and related diseases. Recently, researchers from the University of California-San Francisco claimed that sugar is essentially a toxin that causes all sorts of lifestyle diseases, including hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer. They proposed that sugar be regulated like tobacco and alcohol with taxes on sugary products, age limits applied to certain foods and beverages, and restrictions on advertising (especially on ads targeted to kids). They also argued that sugar is addictive.

Can sugar really be addictive? The FDA defines addiction as craving for and continued use of a substance that is hazardous to your well being. Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that sugary foods cause-in the brains of animals-a chemical effect similar to that of addictive drugs like cocaine. Whether this response constitutes addiction in the technical sense is still debated. What is clear, however, is that people have a hard time giving up sweets. That may be rooted in a combination of nostalgia (the memory of mom's cookies baking), habit (always having something for dessert) and chemical attraction (the releases of feel good chemicals in your brain).

We consume large amounts of sugar. The average American eats (or drinks) 34 teaspoons of sugars a day, which is equal to 500+ calories. This averages more than 100 pounds of sugars per person each year. Sugar intake has drastically increased over the last century. In 1822, the average American ate in 5 days the amount of sugar found in one of today's 12-ounce sodas. Now, we eat that much every 7 hours!

Sugar intake doesn't just come from cake, candy, or sugar added to your tea. Almost all processed foods in the supermarket contain extra sugar. In fact, a large number of sugars are used in processed foods, so that reading food labels can be confusing. Some of the worst offenders are sodas (which can contain as much as 10 teaspoons per can) and many "low fat" products.

High Fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has replaced sucrose (sugar) in many of the food products that you purchase. HFCS is a mixture of two simple sugars: glucose and fructose, which is similar to the composition of sucrose. This sweetener is only sold for processed foods; yet, it provides about 8% of the total calories in the American diet. Some scientists contend that HFCS contributes to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Others reject this hypothesis citing weak evidence for such effects.

Sugar contains calories and only calories; it provides no other nutrients - no protein, no vitamins and no minerals. When sugar calories replace more nutrient-dense foods such as fruits and vegetables, your whole diet (and, maybe, your health) suffers.

Anthropologists tell us that we like sweetness for a reason. Sweet foods are generally safe source of calories - something that has been important to survival throughout most of history. Today, with an ample supply of safe food, the appeal of sweetness is no longer protective. Most people must work to keep their caloric intakes at healthful levels.

So how do you keep your sugar consumption at healthy levels? The USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults get no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar a day - a third of the current average. Uncovering all the sugar in your diet isn't easy. Sugar often hides under several names and turns up in foods you wouldn't suspect, like bread, crackers, salad dressing, ketchup and light mayonnaise. The following tips will help reduce the total sugar intakes of both you and your family-while still enjoying sweetness.

• Serve smaller portions of sweets and desserts so you can still enjoy these foods.
• Switch to unsweetened beverages like water, 100% juice or low-fat milk products instead of sugar-laden sodas and juice drinks.
• Avoid impulse buying of sugary foods in checkout lines.
• Don't offer sweet foods as a reward, especially to children.
• Make fruit your everyday dessert - baked apples, berries, frozen juice bars or a fruit salad should be your go-to desserts.
• Make sweet treats really "treats," not every day food items.
• Read the labels of food items carefully and choose those that contain the least amount of total sugars.
• Avoid foods that have been modified to be low-fat, but have increased sugar.
• Visit www.choosemyplate.gov to get more advice on general nutrition and to help reduce your sugar intake

Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added when foods or beverages are processed or prepared. This does not include naturally occurring sugars such as those in milk and fruits. Added sugars provide calories without providing additional nutrients. Specific examples of added sugars that can be listed as an ingredient on a product label include brown sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, and turbinado sugar. Common sources of added sugars include sugary drinks such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and coffee and tea with added sugars. The other major source of added sugars is snacks and sweets, which includes grain-based desserts such as cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries; dairy desserts such as ice cream, other frozen desserts, and puddings; candies; sugars; jams; syrups; and sweet toppings. Together, these food categories make up more than 75 percent of intake of all added sugars. For more information about added sugars, visit MyPlate.gov.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. Added sugars do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables.

If these appear in the ingredients list of your favorite beverage, you are drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage.

• Cane juice
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Fruit nectars (such as agave nectar)
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Malt syrup
• Maple syrup and syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sugar
• Sucrose
• Sugar cane

Most of us love sweet foods and drinks. But after that short burst of sweetness, you may worry about how sweets affect your waistline and your overall health. Is sugar really bad for us? How about artificial or low-calorie sweeteners? What have scientists learned about the sweet things that most of us eat and drink every day?

Our bodies need one type of sugar, called glucose , to survive. “Glucose is the number one food for the brain, and it’s an extremely important source of fuel throughout the body,” says Dr. Kristina Rother, an NIH pediatrician and expert on sweeteners. But there’s no need to add glucose to your diet, because your body can make the glucose it needs by breaking down food molecules like carbohydrates , proteins, and fats.

Some sugars are found naturally in foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and milk. “These are healthful additions to your diet,” says Dr. Andrew Bremer, a pediatrician and NIH expert on sweeteners. “When you eat an orange, for instance, you’re getting a lot of nutrients and dietary fiber along with the natural sugars.”

Although sugar itself isn’t bad, says Rother, “sugar has a bad reputation that’s mostly deserved because we consume too much of it. It’s now in just about every food we eat.”

Experts agree that Americans eat and drink way too much sugar, and it’s contributing to the obesity epidemic. Much of the sugar we eat isn’t found naturally in food but is added during processing or preparation.

About 15% of the calories in the American adult diet come from added sugars. That’s about 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Sugars are usually added to make foods and drinks taste better. But such foods can be high in calories and offer none of the healthful benefits of fruits and other naturally sweet foods.

Sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. Juices naturally contain a lot of sugar. But sometimes, even more is added to make them taste sweeter.

“Juices offer some vitamins and other nutrients, but I think those benefits are greatly offset by the harmful effects of too much sugar,” says Bremer.

Over time, excess sweeteners can take a toll on your health. “Several studies have found a direct link between excess sugar consumption and obesity and cardiovascular problems worldwide,” Bremer says.

Because of these harmful effects, many health organizations recommend that Americans cut back on added sugars. But added sugars can be hard to identify. On a list of ingredients, they may be listed as sucrose (table sugar), corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit-juice concentrates, nectars, raw sugar, malt syrup, maple syrup, fructose sweeteners, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, or other words ending in “-ose,” the chemical suffix for sugars. If any of these words are among the first few ingredients on a food label, the food is likely high in sugar. The total amount of sugar in a food is listed under “Total Carbohydrate” on the Nutrition Facts label.

Many people try cutting back on calories by switching from sugar-sweetened to diet foods and drinks that contain low- or no-calorie sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners—also known as sugar substitutes—are many times sweeter than table sugar, so smaller amounts are needed to create the same level of sweetness.

People have debated the safety of artificial sweeteners for decades. To date, researchers have found no clear evidence that any artificial sweeteners approved for use in the U.S. cause cancer or other serious health problems in humans.

But can they help with weight loss? Scientific evidence is mixed. Some studies suggest that diet drinks can help you drop pounds in the short term, but weight tends to creep back up over time. Rother and other NIH-funded researchers are now working to better understand the complex effects that artificial sweeteners can have on the human body.

Studies of rodents and small numbers of people suggest that artificial sweeteners can affect the healthful gut microbes that help us digest food. This in turn can alter the body’s ability to use glucose, which might then lead to weight gain. But until larger studies are done in people, the long-term impact of these sweeteners on gut microbes and weight remains uncertain.

“There’s much controversy about the health effects of artificial sweeteners and the differences between sugars and sweeteners,” says Dr. Ivan de Araujo of Yale University. “Some animal studies indicate that sweeteners can produce physiological effects. But depending on what kind of measurement is taken, including in humans, the outcomes may be conflicting.”

De Araujo and others have been studying the effects that sugars and low-calorie sweeteners might have on the brain. His animal studies found that sugar and sweeteners tap differently into the brain’s reward circuitry, with sugars having a more powerful and pleasurable effect.

“The part of the brain that mediates the ‘I can’t stop’ kinds of behaviors seems to be especially sensitive to sugars and largely insensitive to artificial sweeteners,” de Araujo says. “Our long-term goal is really to understand if sugars or caloric sweeteners drive persistent intake of food. If exposed to too much sugar, does the brain eventually change in ways that lead to excess consumption? That’s what we’d like to know.”

Some research suggests that the intensely sweet taste of artificial, low-calorie sweeteners can lead to a “sweet tooth,” or a preference for sweet things. This in turn might lead to overeating. But more studies are needed to confirm the relative effects of caloric vs. non-caloric sweeteners.

“In the long run, if you want to lose weight, you need to establish a healthy lifestyle that contains unprocessed foods, moderate calories, and more exercise,” Rother says.

When kids grow up eating a lot of sweet foods, they tend to develop a preference for sweets. But if you give them a variety of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables early in life, they’ll develop a liking for them too.

“It’s important for parents to expose children to a variety of tastes early on, but realize that it often takes several attempts to get a child to eat such foods,” says Bremer. “Don’t give up too soon.”

The key to good health is eating a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods and getting plenty of physical activity. Focus on nutrition-rich whole foods without added sugars.

Cut Added Sugars

• Choose water, fat-free milk, or unsweetened tea or coffee instead of sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks.
• Reduce sugar in recipes. If a recipe says 1 cup, use 2/3 cup.
• To enhance flavor, add vanilla, cinnamon, or nutmeg.
• Eat fresh, canned, frozen, and dried fruits without added sugar. Choose fruits canned in their own juice rather than syrup.
• Use fruits to top foods like cereal and pancakes rather than sugars, syrups, or other sweet toppings.
• Read the ingredients list to pick food with little or no added sugar.
• Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose packaged foods with less total sugar.

Good nutrition is essential for keeping Americans healthy across the lifespan, but most of us do not have a healthy diet. Americans are eating and drinking too many added sugars.

What are added sugars?

Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. Naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit or milk are not added sugars.

Added sugars have many different names. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit nectars, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose.

What are the health consequences of too much sugar?

Added sugars contribute calories to your diet, but no essential nutrients. Eating and drinking too many added sugars makes it difficult to achieve a healthy eating pattern without taking in too many calories.

Too much sugar in your diet can lead to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

How much is too much?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people older than 2 years should keep sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. For example, if an adult consumes 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars. Or, if toddlers consume 1,200 calories a day, no more than 120 calories should come from added sugars.

Children under 2 years old should not eat or drink any added sugars.

Make a Change

Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet.

FDA receives many inquiries and comments from the public about the chemistry of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in relation to other sweeteners such as table sugar and honey, and whether HFCS is safe to eat.

Where does HFCS come from?

HFCS is derived from corn starch. Starch itself is a chain of glucose (a simple sugar) molecules joined together.
When corn starch is broken down into individual glucose molecules, the end product is corn syrup, which is essentially 100% glucose.

To make HFCS, enzymes are added to corn syrup in order to convert some of the glucose to another simple sugar called fructose, also called “fruit sugar” because it occurs naturally in fruits and berries.

HFCS is ‘high’ in fructose compared to the pure glucose that is in corn syrup. Different formulations of HFCS contain different amounts of fructose.

How much fructose is in HFCS?

The most common forms of HFCS contain either 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, as described in the Code of Federal Regulations (21 CFR 184.1866), and these are referred to in the industry as HFCS 42 and HFCS 55. The rest of the HFCS is glucose and water. HFCS 42 is mainly used in processed foods, cereals, baked goods, and some beverages. HFCS 55 is used primarily in soft drinks.

Sucrose (sugar), the most well-known sweetener, is made by crystallizing sugar cane or beet juice. Sucrose is also made up of the same two simple sugars, glucose and fructose, joined together to form a single molecule containing one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule, an exact one-to-one ratio.

The proportion of fructose to glucose in both HFCS 42 and HFCS 55 is similar to that of sucrose. The primary differences between sucrose and the common forms of HFCS are:

• HFCS contains water.
• In sucrose, a chemical bond joins the glucose and fructose. Once one eats, stomach acid and gut enzymes rapidly break down this chemical bond.
• In HFCS, no chemical bond joins the glucose and fructose.

Other nutritive sweeteners can vary in their fructose content (by “nutritive,” we mean that the sweetener contains calories). Honey is a common nutritive sweetener with an approximately one-to-one ratio of fructose to glucose. Fruit and nectar-based sweeteners may have more fructose than glucose, especially those that come from apples and pears.

Is HFCS less safe than other sweeteners?

FDA receives many inquiries asking about the safety of HFCS, often referring to studies about how humans metabolize fructose or fructose-containing sweeteners. These studies are based on the observation that there are some differences between how we metabolize fructose and other simple sugars.

We are not aware of any evidence, including the studies mentioned above, that there is a difference in safety between foods containing HFCS 42 or HFCS 55 and foods containing similar amounts of other nutritive sweeteners with approximately equal glucose and fructose content, such as sucrose, honey, or other traditional sweeteners. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that everyone limit consumption of all added sugars, including HFCS and sucrose. FDA participated in the development of the Dietary Guidelines and fully supports this recommendation.

Whether it’s to cut down on the number of calories they consume or any of a variety of other reasons, some people use sugar substitutes – also called high-intensity sweeteners – to sweeten and add flavor to their foods. They can be used alone to sweeten foods and beverages such as iced tea or coffee, or as an ingredient in other products. There are a number of sugar substitutes on the market from which to choose.

Sugar substitutes are called ‘high-intensity’ because small amounts pack a large punch when it comes to sweetness. Unlike sweeteners such as sugar, honey, or molasses, high-intensity sweeteners add few or no calories to the foods they flavor. Also, high-intensity sweeteners generally do not raise blood sugar levels.

The most recent high-intensity sweetener approved by the FDA is called advantame, which was approved in 2014.

Advantame—which does not yet have a brand name (such as Sweet’N Low, a brand name for saccharin, or Equal, a brand name for aspartame)—was approved as a new food additive for use as a sweetener and flavor enhancer in foods, except meat and poultry.

Examples of uses for which advantame has been approved include baked goods, non-alcoholic beverages (including soft drinks), chewing gum, confections and frostings, frozen desserts, gelatins and puddings, jams and jellies, processed fruits and fruit juices, toppings, and syrups.

How Do You Know It’s Safe?

The FDA is required by law to review all new food additives for safety before they can go on the market. The process begins when a company submits a food additive petition to the agency seeking approval. One exception is for substances "generally recognized as safe," or GRAS, because those substances are generally recognized by qualified experts as safe under the conditions of intended use and are exempt from the food additive approval process.

The agency’s scientists thoroughly review all the scientific evidence submitted by a company to ensure the product is safe for the intended use.

In determining the safety of advantame, the FDA reviewed data from 37 animal and human studies designed to identify possible toxic (harmful) effects, including effects on the immune, reproductive and developmental, and nervous systems.

Advantame is chemically related to aspartame, and certain individuals should avoid or restrict the use of aspartame. To that end, the FDA evaluated whether the same individuals should avoid or restrict advantame, as well.

People who have phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder, have a difficult time metabolizing phenylalanine, a component of both aspartame and advantame. Newborns are tested for PKU using a common “heel-prick” test before they leave the hospital.

Foods containing aspartame must bear an information statement for people with PKU alerting them about the presence of phenylalanine. But advantame is much sweeter than aspartame, so only a very small amount needs to be used to reach the same level of sweetness. As a result, foods containing advantame do not need to bear that statement.

Sweeteners approved as food additives

There are food additive approvals for six high-intensity sweeteners.

• Saccharin, was first discovered and used in 1879, before the current food additive approval process came into effect in 1958. Brand names include Sweet‘N Low
• Aspartame, first approved for use in 1981. Brand names include Equal
• Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K), first approved for use in 1988. Brand names include Sweet One
• Sucralose, first approved for use in 1998. Brand name is Splenda
• Neotame, approved for use in 2002. Brand name is Newtame
• Advantame, approved for use in 2014.

In addition to the six high-intensity sweeteners that are FDA-approved as food additives, the agency has received and has not questioned GRAS notices for three types of plant/fruit based high-intensity sweeteners: certain steviol glycosides obtained from the leaves of the stevia plant (Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) Bertoni) or fermentation-based processes, extracts obtained from Siraitia grosvenorii Swingle fruit, also known as Luo Han Guo or monk fruit, and thaumatin, produced by a plant-based process.

While these high-intensity sweeteners are considered safe for their intended uses, certain individuals may have a particular sensitivity or adverse reaction to any food substance. Consumers should share with their health care provider any concerns they have about a negative food reaction.

Do you try to lose weight by putting certain foods off-limits? Depriving yourself of the foods you love, new research in rats suggests, might drive you to eat more of those foods later.

NIH-funded researchers recently found that rats given occasional access to sugary food ate less of their normal food even when sweet food wasn’t available. When the sweet food became available again, they overate it. In other words, the rats were holding out for the good stuff.

The researchers suspect the brain’s stress system might be behind this behavior. Withdrawal problems for drugs of abuse are driven by the brain’s fear, anxiety and stress response. Could something similar happen when you deprive yourself of certain foods?

The scientists tested a drug that blocks the action of CRF, a molecule involved in the brain’s response to stress. CRF has been tied to withdrawal for every major drug of abuse.

The team divided rats into 2 groups. One received cycles of 5 days of regular chow and 2 days of sweet chow. The other was given only regular food. All the rats could eat as much as they wanted. After 7 weeks, the rats were given the CRF-blocker.

The blocker blunted the rats’ bingeing. The diet-cycled rats ate more regular chow and then, when it was available, less of the sweet. The drug also blocked the rats’ anxious behavior when the sweet food was withdrawn. It had no effect on the rats eating only normal chow.

When eating regular chow, the diet-cycled rats had much higher CRF levels in a brain region involved in fear, anxiety and stress. CRF levels were normal, however, when they were fed the sweet food.

Human eating behavior is more complicated than rats, of course. But these findings suggest that cutting out certain foods may cause you to feel stressed until you eat those foods again. Research shows that the best way to lose weight is to change your lifestyle to eat healthier and get more physical activity.

What Are Added Sugars and How Are They Different from Total Sugars?

1. Total Sugars

Total Sugars include sugars naturally present in many nutritious foods and beverages, such as sugar in milk and fruits as well as any added sugars that may be present in the product. There is no Daily Value* for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.

2. Added Sugars

Added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet.

For most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts, and sweets.

Sample Label

*The Daily Values are reference amounts (in grams, milligrams, or micrograms) of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day.

Why Are Added Sugars Now Listed on the Nutrition Facts Label?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to less than 10 percent of total calories per day. For example, if you consume a 2,000 calorie daily diet, that would be 200 calories or 50 grams of added sugars per day. Consuming too much added sugars can make it difficult to meet nutrient needs while staying within calorie limits. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is including added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label so that you can make informed choices, based on your individual needs and preferences.

How Will Added Sugars Be Listed on the Nutrition Facts Label?

Labels for foods and beverages with added sugars will list the number of grams and the percent Daily Value (%DV) for added sugars within the Nutrition Facts label.

Having the word “includes” before added sugars on the label indicates that added sugars are included in the number of grams of total sugars in the product.

For example, a container of yogurt with added sweeteners, might list:

This means one serving of the product has 7 grams of added sugars and 8 grams of naturally occurring sugars – for a total of 15 grams of sugar. The 7g of added sugars represents 14% of the Daily Value for added sugars.

Exception

Labels on packages and containers of single-ingredient sugars and syrups such as table sugar, maple syrup, or honey will list the percent Daily Value for added sugars within the Nutrition Facts label, and the gram amount per serving and %DV may be included in a footnote. Single-ingredient sugars and syrups are labeled in this way so that it does not look like more sugars have been added to the product and to ensure that consumers have information about how a serving of these products contributes to the Daily Value for added sugars and to their total diet.

Single-Ingredient Sugars and Syrups Sample Label

Let the Nutrition Facts Label Be Your Guide

The new Nutrition Facts label can help you compare and choose foods that are lower in added sugars.

Check the label to see if foods are LOW or HIGH in added sugars.

• 5% DV or less is a LOW source of added sugars
• 20% DV or more is a HIGH source of added sugars

Do I Need to Give Up Added Sugars?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that a limited amount of added sugars can be included as part of an overall healthy eating pattern that includes healthy choices from each of the MyPlate food groups (vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and protein foods). It is important to remember that added sugars is just one piece of information on the label. Looking at the ingredient list and reading all the information on the Nutrition Facts label can help you make the most informed choices.

Americans are eating and drinking too many added sugars, which can contribute to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. To live healthier, longer lives, most Americans need to move more and eat better, including consuming fewer added sugars.

About added sugars

• Added sugars include sucrose, dextrose, table sugar, syrups, honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices.
• The leading sources of added sugars in the US diet are sugar-sweetened beverages and desserts and sweet snacks. Examples of desserts and sweet snacks are cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, ice cream, frozen dairy desserts, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries.

Americans should limit their added sugars

• The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 recommends that
  • Americans 2 years and older keep their intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. For example, in a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars (about 12 teaspoons).
  • Children younger than 2 years should not be fed foods and beverages with added sugars at all.
• A leading health indicator for Healthy People 2030 is to “reduce consumption of added sugars by people aged 2 years and over.”

Added sugars consumption in children and young adults

• In 2017–2018, the average daily intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons for children and young adults aged 2 to 19 years.
  • By sex, the average intake was 18 teaspoons for boys and 15 teaspoons for girls.
  • By age and race/ethnicity:
    • Among 2- to 5-year-olds, the average intake was 13 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Black children, 12 teaspoons for non-Hispanic White children, 11 teaspoons for Hispanic children, and 7 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Asian children.
    • Among 6- to 11-year-olds, the average intake was 19 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Black children, 18 teaspoons for non-Hispanic White children, 16 teaspoons for Hispanic children, and 12 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Asian children.
    • Among 12- to 19-year-olds, the average intake was 20 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Black young people, 20 teaspoons for non-Hispanic White young people, 15 teaspoons for Hispanic young people and 14 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Asian young people.

Added sugars consumption in adults

• In 2017–2018, the average intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons for adults aged 20 and older.
  • By sex, the average intake was 19 teaspoons for men and 15 teaspoons for women.
  • By race/ethnicity, the average intake of added sugars was 19 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Black adults, 17 teaspoons for non-Hispanic White adults, 16 teaspoons for Hispanic adults, and 10 teaspoons for non-Hispanic Asian adults.