SUGAR CONSCIOUS

From diabetes management to weight loss to disease prevention, there are many reasons to take up a sugar-conscious diet. Even if you aren’t actively avoiding sugar, chances are, you’re getting more in your diet than you think.

Each person consumes far more sugar than needed – over 22 teaspoons (or about 355 calories) per day. That's a lot for a substance with no nutritional value. Studies show that excess sugar consumption leads to all kinds of health problems, from diabetes to obesity, and can even interfere with essential nutrient intake.

Whether you're on a sugar-restricted diet or not, it's a good idea to watch how much sugar you're eating – or drinking – each day. We recommend limiting sugars to 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) per day for women and 150 calories (or about 9 teaspoons) for men. Check packages carefully, and aim for foods with no more than 5 grams of sugar per serving.

If you're avoiding sugar, you know to forego the obvious: refined sugars (both brown and white) and anything with high-fructose corn syrup. You also know to limit the more natural, unrefined sources of sugar, such as honey, agave, molasses and maple syrup. Even too much fruit can be problematic for some diets. (Your doctor will be able to advise you.)

But what about the hidden sources of sugar? Many packaged, processed foods that you might not readily associate with sweets have tons of natural and added sugars, like salad dressing and tomato and barbecue sauces.