A substantial portion of Americans’ calorie intake comes from added sugars. A recent study found that adults consume nearly one-sixth (15.8%) of their daily calories from sugar added to food. This is up from only 10.6% in 1977-78!
In this study, adults who got 17.5-25% of their energy from added sugars were more than twice as likely to have low HDL levels (also known as the “good cholesterol”) and elevated triglyceride levels compared to those who got less than 5%. Low HDL and high triglycerides are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
PositiveTip: Beware of prepared/processed foods with added sugars which can increase the risk of heart disease.