Chances are you already know that eating too much sugar is not good for you. However, you are probably still exaggerating. Americans consume an average of about 270 calories of sugar each day, or about 17 teaspoons a day, compared to the recommended limits of about 12 teaspoons a day or 200 calories.
Sweet drinks, sweets, pastries and sweetened dairy products are the main sources of added sugar. But even salty foods, such as bread, tomato sauce, and protein bars, may contain sugar, making it too easy to end up with a surplus of sweets. To make matters worse, added sugars can be hard to spot on nutrition labels, as they can be listed under several names, such as corn syrup, agave nectar, palm sugar, cane juice, or sucrose. (See more names for sugar in the chart below.)
Whatever it is called, sugar is sugar and, in excess, it can negatively affect your body in many ways. Here’s a closer look at how sugar can affect your health, from head to toe.