Candy here, cookie there, maybe a nice glass of coke: sometimes you just want to treat yourself. Sugary food or drinks are often – in addition to fatty snacks – things that we reach for. But how much sugar are you actually ‘allowed’ per day?
Of course, we are not going to tell you what you can and cannot do and eat, that remains your own choice. We are talking about the healthy guidelines regarding eating sugar.
How much sugar are you allowed per day?
Of course, you can not only eat sugar, but also drink it. Soft drinks, for example, contain a lot of sugar, just like lemonade. We recently told you what happens to your body if you drink soft drinks every day. So it’s better to skip that and opt for water, tea and coffee (in moderation).
But how much sugar can you consume per day? According to the Nutrition Center, there is not enough evidence to draw up separate guidelines for this, sugars are considered carbohydrates. There is therefore no x number of grams as a maximum for specific sugar. In general, the following applies: not too much. If you consume too much sugar, you run the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is best to avoid added sugars in particular, because healthy foods already contain natural sugars (think of fruit, vegetables and dairy).
There are different sugars, for example fruit sugars and added sugars. However, your body makes no distinction, breaks it down into glucose and uses it as fuel. So it is not the case that fruit sugars in themselves are healthier than added sugars, but it is true that you also get vitamins when you eat fruit, but this is of course not the case with a bag of sweets.
How much sugar is in a sugar cube?
Do you ever drink a cup of tea or coffee with one (or perhaps two) sugar cubes? Then you add about four grams of sugar per sugar cube to your hot drink. The exact weight may differ per brand, but the Nutrition Center assumes about four grams of sugar per sugar cube.
For example, a (small) can of cola contains 6.5 sugar cubes, or 26 grams of sugar. A large can of cola contains 8.5 sugar cubes, 34 grams of sugar.
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