We are supposed to have under 50 grams of added sugars daily, according to the American Heart Association. Men are supposed to have no more than 36 grams, and for women the number is 25 grams. Americans normally consume up to 100 grams of sugar daily, or up to 1/4 of their daily calorie intake from added sugars (1).
Well I took a good look at a lot of things marketed as healthy, such as wheat breads, milk and nutmilks, heart-healthy cereals, and I started tallying up in my head how much added sugar one might consume daily, if they are health-conscious - A tuna fish sandwich with two slices of wheat bread, 6 grams total. One serving of bran flakes (not raisin) with a serving of 2% milk- 21 grams of sugar (and most of that is from the milk!). If you're female, that's it! That's your sugar intake for the day. No teaspoon in your nightly tea, no dessert (other than the natural sugars found in fruits and some vegetables). A little added sugar is OK if you're giving your body enough fiber to slow down digestion and process it, although added sugars have no nutritional value to begin with, so it's good practice to try to burn it off with regular exercise.
What about people who aren't looking at what they're buying, and are just listening to what the advertising claims? They might figure a salad is the healthiest thing to have at a restaurant, but then there are added sugars in many of those. Or like me, they may have grown up with canned fruit (which to me is better than none I suppose)- added sugar in the syrup if the fruit is not in its natural juices. Juice, for adults or children- I've given up on buying most juices marketed as healthy because some of them have as much sugar as a soda, and although some (not all!) claim to be naturally derived (such as 1 cup of juice equaling 2 cups of grapes), that's your serving of fruit for the day, as even too much fruit (more than 2-3 servings per day) can lead to blood sugar spikes and health issues. I would rather get the fiber and vitamins straight from the fruit than feel not in the least bit full from a cup of it. Or how about those with a busy lifestyle who would just like to indulge now and then. Take for example a small coffee from Dunkins- you want to indulge in a flavored, fun coffee from the drivethrough to jumpstart your day- a cookie dough swirl iced latte, small, with skim milk, gives you 25 grams of added sugar. That's most of your added sugar, or most of it, for the day. And we don't even think twice about it.
A lot of my gripe with sugar has to do with the fact that you can eat a ton of it, but not feel full. That brings meaning to the phrase "empty calories". As they add up in your system, even as you feel you are generally eating healthy otherwise by getting your fruit and vegetables, fiber and healthy fats for the day, your waistline may grow (2). You might get frustrated, thinking that you're doing everything right and only indulging in the REALLY unhealthy stuff on occasion. Maybe you eat more fruit than is recommended, because it's fruit and can't hurt you. Too much of virtually any healthy food can harm your body, so it's good to be mindful of your limits, and look for a balanced diet that will lead to you being full, satisfied, and not sighing when you hit the bathroom scale.
(1) https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-too-much-added-sugar-increases-the-risk-of-dying-with-heart-disease-201402067021
(2) https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
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