The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new recommendations on sugar consumption; they have cut their recommended daily serving in half.
"WHO's current recommendation, from 2002, is that sugars should make up less than 10 [percent] of total energy intake per day. The new draft guideline also proposes that sugars should be less than 10 [percent] of total energy intake per day. It further suggests that a reduction to below 5 [percent] of total energy intake per day would have additional benefits. Five [percent] of total energy intake is equivalent to around 25 grams (around 6 teaspoons) of sugar per day for an adult of normal Body Mass Index (BMI)," a WHO news release stated.
The new guidelines apply to monosaccharides such as glucose and fructose as well as disaccharides like table sugar. The guidelines also apply to naturally occurring sugars that can be found in honey or fruit.
The WHO said most of American's daily food intake comes from processed foods where they are "hidden"; these foods are often not perceived as sweet.
"Obesity now affects half a billion people in the world, and it is on the rise in all age groups and particularly in low- and middle-income countries," Francesco Branca, the WHO's director of nutrition for health and development told Reuters.
Overconsumption of free sugars can lead to serious health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. It does this by increasing overall energy intake while reducing the intake of foods with more nutritional value. This can lead to weight gain and eventually more dangerous conditions.
"There is increasing concern that consumption of free sugars - particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages - increases overall energy intake and may reduce the intake of foods containing more nutritionally adequate calories," it said.
