Choosing a diet low in fat is a concern for everyone; choosing one low in sugars is also important for people who have low calorie needs. Sugars include white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, honey, and molassess; these supply calories and little else nutritionally.

To avoid getting too many calories from sugars, try to limit your added sugars to 6 teaspoons a day if you eat about 1,600 calories, 12 teaspoons at 2,200 calories, or 18 teaspoons at 2,800 calories. These amounts are intended to be averages over time. The patterns are illustrations of healthful proportions in the diet, not rigid prescriptions.

Added sugars are in foods like candy and soft drinks, as well as jams, jellies, and sugars you at the table. Some added sugars are also in foods from the food groups, such as fruit canned in heavy syrup and chocolate milk.


Where's the added sugars?
Below is a list of popular foods, and their total amount of added sugar (in teaspoons).

Bread / Grains Group
Bread, 1 slice	0
Muffin, 1 medium	1
Cookies, 2 medium	1
Danish pastry, 1 medium	1
Doughnut, 1 medium	2
Pound Cake, no-fat, 1 oz.	2
Angelfood Cake, 1/12 tube cake	5
Cake, frosted, 1/16	6
8" Fruit Pie, 2 crust, 1/6	6

Fruit Group
Fruit, canned in juice, 1/2 cup	0
Fruit, canned in light syrup, 1/2 cup	2
Fruit, canned in heavy syrup, 1/2 cup	4

Dairy Group
Milk, plain, 1 cup	0
Chocolate Milk, 2 percent, 1 cup	3
Lowfat Yogurt, plain, 8oz.	0
Lowfat Yogurt, flavored, 8 oz.	5
Lowfat Yogurt, fruit, 8 oz.	7
Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt, 1/2 cup	3
Chocolate shake, 10 fl. oz.	9

Other
Sugar, jam, or jelly, 1 tsp.	1
Syrup or honey, 1 tbsp.	3
Chocolate bar, 1 oz.	3
Fruit sorbet, 1/2 cup	3
Gelatin dessert, 1/2 cup	4
Sherbert, 1/2 cup	5
Cola, 12 fl. oz.	9
Fruit drink, 12 fl. oz.	12

Note: 4 grams of sugar= 1 teaspoon

Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Home & Garden Bulletin #52


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