Americans eat 22 teaspoons of sugar a day

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 30 (UPI) -- U.S. adults consume 22.2 teaspoons of sugar a day -- or 355 calories -- and reducing the amount of sugar can reduce weight, a U.S. food expert says.

Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst, trend-watcher and creator of the Web site supermarketguru.com, says Americans eat more than double the daily recommended amount of sugar added to food.

An appropriate amount for a woman with an energy requirement of 1,800 calories per day would be no more than 100 calories, or 6.25 teaspoons -- from added sugar, while a man with a requirement of 2,200 calories per day should eat or drink no more than 150 calories from added sugar or 9.4 teaspoons, Lempert says.

Added sugar is considered "discretionary calories," and diets high in added sugar are linked to obesity, high blood pressure, increased triglycerides and cardiovascular disease, the American Heart Association says.

For those watching their weight or monitoring their glucose levels, trying to limit sugar consumption will be beneficial.

In addition, Lempert suggests consuming as many fresh foods and minimally processed foods as possible with little or no added sugar, and if there is an added sugar try to find a product that does not list it first in the ingredients.