Count Your “Added Sugar” to Lose Weight, and Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease
Can cutting back on added sugars result in weight loss? An article in the BMJ indicates that reducing sugar intake can result in a small but significant loss of body weight. Most nutritionists recommend we limit our sugar intake to less than 10% of our calories. What are “added” sugars? Any sugars added to the foods we eat. This includes sucrose, honey, syrups, high fructose corn syrup, brown sugar. In the BMJ article, adults who cut back on their added sugar intake lost about 2 pounds over 8 months. While those who ate more added sugar foods gained about 2 pounds. In children, studies were inconsistent but research has shown that children who drink more sugar sweetened beverages (soda, sports drinks) were more likely to be overweight or obese. But trying to cut back on “added” sugars isn’t easy. One can read the label and look for “sugar” but this can be quite misleading. ...