An interview with lead author of the American Heart Association's new sugar intake statement

November 25, 3:55 PMBurlington Nutrition ExaminerBrigitte Harton

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Soft drinks are one of the largest source of added sugars in Americans' diets. Photo from Freepixels.com.

The American Heart Association (AHA) came out with a new statement regarding dietary sugars in late August of this year. "Dietary Sugars Intake and Cardiovascular Health. A Statement From the American Heart Association" has caused quite a stir.

Published in the association' journal Circulation, the statement basically recommends that Americans limit added sugars in their diet to no more than 100 calories per day for women (about six teaspoons) and 150 calories per day for men (about 9 teaspoons). These recommendations may seem drastic, especially since a 12-ounce can of soft drink alone contains 10 teaspoons of sugar. However, according to the AHA scientific statement, added sugars may have negative effects on blood pressure, blood lipids, inflammation, and obesity - all of which can increase risks of heart disease.

Lead statement author Rachel K. Johnson, associate provost and professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has graciously agreed to answer some questions to help consumers apply the AHA's recommendations. 

1. Given that Americans consume an average of 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, what are some ways you recommend to reduce their added sugars intake? R.J.: Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the number one source of added sugars in Americans’ diets.  So I encourage people who want to reduce their intake of added sugars to think about what they are drinking and cut back on sugar-sweetened beverages first. 
2. Do the added sugar recommendations in the AHA statement also apply to children? R.J.: Yes – they are based on a person’s energy needs so they can be applied to children. 
3. Do you recommend increasing intake of artificial sweeteners to replace added sugars in people's diet? R.J.: Non-nutritive sweeteners may be a way to satisfy your sweet tooth without adding additional calories to your diet.  The FDA has determined that non-nutritive sweeteners are safe.
4. Many foods in the supermarket are hidden sources of added sugars such as salad dressings, crackers, and condiments. Do consumers need to worry about the added sugars in these foods? R.J.: Yes, consumers should think about all sources of added sugars.  Because added sugars aren’t listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel you have to become a savvy label reader.  The best way to learn about the added sugars in your food is to read the ingredient list.  The following are all names for added sugars –brown sugar,corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, and syrup.

 To view the full AHA scientific statement, click here.