The AHA sugar recommendation is that men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day.
The AHA and other organisations do not appear to offer much advice on total sugars.
Is the current nutritional consensus not particular concerned with ‘over consumption’ of natural sugars in milk, fruits, and vegetables?
Yeah, most organisations mainly focus on limiting added sugars rather than total sugar from whole foods. Milk, fruits and vegetables contain natural sugars that are part of a healthy diet in moderation.
Are these not relevant to consider in our sugar intake?
Yes, “natural” sugar found naturally occurring in food is certainly relevant to consider when monitoring sugar intake. Many common foods like processed grains, fruits, and dairy contain natural sugars, so it’s important to consider those as part of an overall daily sugar consumption. The AHA recommends limiting added sugars, and it seems the consensus agrees that it is important to be aware of natural sugars while trying to regulate sugar consumption.
Natural Sugar Acceptable Daily Intake
2-3 Servings of Fruit: about 30g
Fresh fruit contains a range of 5g (berries) to 30g (banana) per cup; average about 12g per cup.
5 Servings of Vegetables: about 12.5g
Fresh vegetables contain from 1g (cucumber) to 5g (sweet corn) per cup; average 2-3g per cup.
Dairy 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt, 2 oz cheese: about 29g
1 cup milk 12g, 1 cup yogurt 15g, 2 oz cheese 2g
Total Natural Sugars per Day: about 71.5g
A well-balanced diet pattern will have limited amounts of sugar. The goal is to limit added sugar and consume the recommended number servings of sugary foods like fruit. Sugars are a normal part of balanced diet. 50% sugar calories is not. AHA recommends a fixed amount, USDA recommends ≤10%.
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Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars
Consume less than 10 percent of calories per day from saturated fats
Consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium
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