How sweet it isn’t.
Last week, the US Department of Agriculture announced its new dietary guidelines, and sugar fell squarely in the agency’s cross hairs.
For the first time, the USDA put a cap on how much of the sweet stuff Americans should eat. It recommends that we get no more than 10 percent of our calories from sugar. For the average 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, that’s 200 calories or about 50 grams.
The new guidelines come as the old idea that a calorie is a calorie, no matter the source, is being re-evaluated.
“Sugar is very fattening and has no nutritional value,” says Dr. Jason Fung, a nephrologist and expert on diabetes. “The metabolic effect of sugar on the body is far different [than] the effect of kale or steak.”
So how much sugar can you down in a day? Surprisingly little. Here are six examples that represent an entire day’s worth of sweetness.
And here’s what you should eat
Sugar’s on the bad list, but what are you supposed to eat? The new USDA guidelines encourage a well-rounded diet full of vegetables, fruit, grains and a variety of proteins. Three to five 8-ounce cups of caffeine and moderate alcohol consumption — one drink per day for women, two for men — also appear to be safe, and the report recommends consuming two to three cups of low-fat dairy daily. Have a look at what should be on your plate.
—Dawn Lerman
Dawn Lerman is a board-certified nutrition expert and the author of “My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love and Family, With Recipes.”