As mentioned in a previous post, the average American consumes approximately 115 pounds of sugar a year. That’s a lot of sugar considering the recommended daily intake of sugar is 32 grams or 8 teaspoons. This is about 6% of your total daily calories. However, not all sugars are created equally, so be sure to choose healthy sugars rather than empty sugars with little to no actual nutritional value.

Soft drinks are the form in which most sugar is consumed. A 12 ounce soda contains 68 grams of sugar, which is already more than a person needs for their entire day! Sugar is also added to hamburgers to reduce shrinkage and add juiciness, to breading in deep fried foods, or to give frozen fish a sheen. It is also commonly added to canned and frozen fruit and vegetables to maintain bright coloring and succulence.

Rather than getting your sugar from an overly processed meal, be sure to get it from something more natural like low fat milk products including soy milk, fresh fruits, and vegetables. The sugar in these foods are better for the body because they occur naturally in foods and still contain much-needed nutrients.