Hello, it’s your health buddy! Let’s feel better together. Today, I’m here to share some symptom insights and helpful tips about Sugar. Let’s dive in!
The harmful effects of sugar are becoming as widely recognized as those of salt, leading global health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), to actively work on reducing sugar consumption worldwide.
More than 80 countries have already introduced a “sugar tax”, imposing taxes on processed foods high in added sugars (such as sugar, honey, syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup). This tax treats sugar as harmful as alcohol and tobacco.
For example, the UK introduced a sugar tax in 2018:
- Less than 5g of added sugar per 100mL → No tax
- 5–8g of added sugar per 100mL → £0.18 per liter tax
- More than 8g of added sugar per 100mL → £0.24 per liter tax
As a result, the total sugar content in UK children's sugary food products decreased by 2.9% per 100g.
Similarly, Mexico implemented a sugar tax in 2014, charging 1 peso per liter (approximately $0.05) on all sugary beverages. This policy led to a decline in sugary drink purchases, particularly among low-income populations.
How Much Sugar Should You Consume?
Excessive sugar intake is a major cause of obesity, which is known as the root of many diseases. Obesity increases the risk of:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- High cholesterol
- Fatty liver disease
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Certain types of cancer
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends keeping added sugar intake below 10% of total daily energy consumption and ideally below 5% for additional health benefits.
Other guidelines include:
- UK Health Department → Less than 5% of total energy intake
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) → No added sugar at all for children under 2 years old; less than 10% for ages 2 and above
- South Korea → Less than 10% of total energy intake
But how much sugar is that in reality?
- If your daily calorie intake is 2,000 kcal, the recommended limit is less than 50g of added sugar (5 tablespoons).
- For even better health, 25g or less is ideal.
This limit is easy to exceed. For example:
- One instant coffee mix contains 11g of added sugar
- One bottle of cola contains 23g of added sugar
- One serving of ice cream contains 17g of added sugar
Just consuming these three items together exceeds the daily 50g limit.
Cut Back on Sugary Drinks
The biggest contributor to excessive sugar consumption is beverages.
Many people underestimate how much sugar is hidden in drinks—not just in soda and instant coffee mixes, but also in café-made drinks.
Added sugar content per drink (Tall size, according to USDA 2020):
- Lemonade → 43g
- Café Mocha → 23g
- Chai Tea Latte → 23g
- Fruit Juice → 59g
Drinking just one of these beverages can bring you close to the daily sugar limit. When combined with the other foods you eat throughout the day, sugar intake can easily exceed healthy levels.
What about "healthy" sugar drinks like brown sugar bubble tea? Unfortunately, sugar is sugar, no matter the source.
- The average brown sugar bubble tea contains 34.8g of sugar, even more than cola.
- That is equivalent to 12 sugar cubes (3g each).
Experts, including the American Diabetes Association, warn that excessive sugar intake—whether from white sugar, brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup—has the same negative health effects.
Even fruit juice is not as healthy as many believe.
- Blended fruit juice lacks fiber, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar.
- Excess sugar from fruit juice is converted into fat, leading to weight gain.
- Experts from the American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics strongly advise against giving children under 5 sugary drinks, including fruit juice, to prevent childhood obesity.
Drink Water Instead
The best way to cut back on sugar is to drink water instead of sugary drinks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests a minimum daily water intake of about 5.3 liters per person in certain conditions, though individual needs vary based on factors like age, gender, climate, and activity level. General recommendations from health organizations suggest about 3.7 liters (13–15.5 cups) for men and 2.7 liters (9–11.5 cups) for women, including fluids from both food and beverages. Since about 20% of daily fluid intake comes from food, aiming for around 2 liters (8 cups) of water from beverages daily is a reasonable goal for most people.
Reducing sugary beverages is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve overall well-being. Start today—your body will thank you.
Your health buddy is here for you. Wishing you a healthy and happy day ahead. Stay well!💖
This content is for informational purposes only and does not hold any individual or entity legally responsible. For accurate diagnosis and treatment of symptoms, please visit a nearby medical institution. This does not represent my final medical opinion and may vary depending on specific circumstances and evolving medical perspectives.
