Joe Decker: The World's Fittest Man

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Dear World’s Fittest Man,

I love sugar. I mean I have such a sweet tooth I sometimes feel like I’m eating sugar all day long and can’t get enough of it. Sugar in my coffee, sugar on my cereal, sugar on my fruit, even my vegetables. Cooked carrots sweetened with sugar is one of my favorite side dishes. I’ve heard there are different types of sugars. Are some healthier than others? How much sugar each day is too much? Is it safe to eat so much sugar? Are there any harmful health effects of having such a sweet tooth?

Sweet Tooth

Dear Sweet Tooth,

I know what you mean about having a sweet tooth. I get that craving too and sometimes it’s hard to stop. Unfortunately, sugar is added to so many foods such as ketchup, that we’re used to everything being so sweet. In 1966, the average American consumed 113 pounds of sugar. Now, that figure is around 147 pounds per person.

First off, sugar falls into basically two categories. Sugar that’s added to your food and sugar that is natural. Sugar that’s added is generally sucrose, that’s white sugar, corn syrup, and honey. Fruits and vegetables contain sugar too, but it’s natural.

When it comes to added sugar, you really have to be careful. A teaspoon of sugar has 16 calories. When you keep adding sugar to what you eat, you’re adding lots of extra calories.

There are no real hazards but there are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to your overall consumption of sugar. Sugars in themselves don’t cause weight gain, but extra calories sure do. What’s more, sugars don’t fill you up, and in most cases they are empty calories with little nutritional value. So after you eat something high in sugar you get a big rush then you’re hungry again. The other downside is that sugar can play a role in tooth decay.

There are different recommendations about how much sugar your really need each day. The Institute of Medicine recommends that sugars make up 25 percent of your total daily calories.

Here are some tips you might want to try to cut back on your sugar intake:

For your coffee use a non-calorie sweetener like Sweet and Low or Equal. Although these sweeteners don’t have any nutritional value, they add a lot of sweetness without all the calories of regular sugar. Be careful, these sweeteners are much more potent than sugar so all you need is a small amount.
Whatever you do, read the label. Many foods have “hidden” sugar. The label tells you exactly how much. Also, watch out for fat-free or low-fat foods. In place of the fat, many companies add lots more sugar. Some fat-free foods have as many calories as their fat counterparts.
Make gradual changes. Don’t try to cut sugar intake all at once, do it a little bit at a time by making simple substitutions. For instance, if you’re eating flavored oatmeal in packets like “apple-cinnamon” or “maple-walnut,” these have a lot of added sugar. Instead try just plain Quaker Oats from the box and add a little sugar on your own. For those sugary carrots you like, slowly decrease the amount of sugar you use, and if you must use honey.
Replace fruits with candy. Although fruits contain sugar too, they also contain fiber and other valuable nutrients. A candy bar will give you a sugar rush but won’t fill you up. An apple will give that same sweetness but also 4g of fiber and lots of vitamin C.

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