Nutrient Information: Sugars, Total

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Nutrient Key Information
Nutrient Name:	Sugars, Total
Nutrient Category:	Carbohydrates and Sugar
Measuring Unit:	g
Nutrient Summary:	Sugar provides calories, or "energy," for the body. Total Sugars on the Nutrition Facts label include： • sugars naturally presented in foods and beverages • added sugars Lower consumption of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages can reduce risk of developing cardiovascular disease and teeth cavities.
Nutrient Function:	• Sugar provides calories, or "energy," for the body. • Glucose in the blood (blood sugar) is the primary energy source for the body’s cells, tissues, and organs (such as the brain and muscles). • The central nervous system (brain) have an absolute requirement for glucose. • Glucose can be used immediately or stored in the liver and muscles for later use. Classification of Dietary Carbohydrates based on sugar units: • monosaccharides (glucose or fructose in fruits): 1 sugar unit • disaccharides (sucrose, lactose in milk, and maltose): 2 sugar units • oligosaccharides (raffinose and stachyose): 3-10 sugar units • polysaccharides (starch and glycogen): 10+ sugar units • Sugars naturally present in foods and beverages, they are usually in the form of fruits or vegetables, milk, starch foods. • Added sugars: added during food processing, added as sweeteners, sugars from syrups and honey. Recommend to take less than 50 grams per day of added sugars based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. • Starches: 1) amylose starches: compact, low solubility, and are less rapidly digested. 2) amylopectin starches: more rapidly digested. Enzymes break starches into monosaccharides which are then absorbed into the bloodstream. More slowly absorbed starchy foods (low Glycemic Index) may have health advantages, such as reduce the risk of Type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Food Sources

Sugars naturally present in foods and beverages:
• Dairy products (such as milk and yogurt)
• Fruit (fresh, frozen, dried, and canned in 100% fruit juice)
• Vegetables
• Fruit and vegetable juice

Starch Foods:
• Grains (such as corn, tapioca, flour, cereals, popcorn, pasta, rice)
• Certain vegetables (such as potatoes)

Added sugars:
• Non-diet soft drinks
• Single-ingredient sugars (such as table sugar, maple syrup, or honey)
• Sweets (such as candies, jams, sweet toppings, and syrups)
• Baked goods (such as cakes, cookies, pastries, and pies)
• Desserts (such as ice cream and puddings)
• Salad dressings, sauces, spreads, condiments, and gravies
• Sugar-sweetened beverages (such as energy drinks, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened coffee and tea)

Glycemic index foods (recommend eat lower GI foods):
• Low GI: Most fruits and vegetables, beans, minimally processed grains, pasta, low-fat dairy foods, and nuts.
• Moderate GI: White and sweet potatoes, corn, white rice, couscous, breakfast wheat cereals.
• High GI: White bread, rice cakes, most crackers, bagels, cakes, doughnuts, croissants, most packaged breakfast cereals.

Sugar substitutes (sweeteners):
Saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, allulose, erythritol, stevia, monk fruit sweetener. Learn controversy views regarding sugar substitute

Sample Foods High in: Sugars, Total View Additional Food Sources
	Food Description	Nutrient Amount¹	Daily Value%²
	Figs, dried, uncooked Category: Fruits and Fruit Juices Similar foods: fig	47.9 g	95.80%
	Cookies, oatmeal, soft, with raisins Category: Baked Products Similar foods: raisin cookie	34.8 g	69.60%
	Bananas, ripe and slightly ripe, raw Category: Fruits and Fruit Juices Similar foods: raw banana	15.8 g	31.60%
	Apples, fuji, with skin, raw Category: Fruits and Fruit Juices Similar foods: raw apple	13.332 g	26.66%
	Peanut butter, smooth style, with salt Category: Legumes and Legume Products Similar foods: peanut butter	10.5 g	21.00%
	Restaurant, Chinese, sweet and sour pork Category: Restaurant Foods	10.3 g	20.60%

¹ Nutrient amount is in 100 gram food
² Use FDA 2000 calorie diet as Daily Value reference

Additional Nutrient Information
Nutrient Summary	Sugar provides calories, or "energy," for the body. Total Sugars on the Nutrition Facts label include： • sugars naturally presented in foods and beverages • added sugars Lower consumption of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages can reduce risk of developing cardiovascular disease and teeth cavities.
Deficiency Health Effects	Extreme low sugar intake, especially if it results in very low carbohydrate consumption, can have several health risks. For example: • Energy Levels: carbohydrates, including sugars, are a primary source of energy for the body. Severely restricting sugar can result in low energy levels, fatigue, and difficulty maintaining physical and mental performance. • Hypoglycemia: too low blood sugar levels can cause dizziness, confusion, sweating, shakiness, and even loss of consciousness in severe cases. • Mental Health: glucose is required for the brain central nervous system. Glucose deficiency can affect mood, concentration, and cognitive function, potentially leading to irritability, depression, and difficulty concentrating. And can even impair the development of the central nervous system.
Effects if Above Upper Limit	Obesity: high sugar intake can lead to weight gain and obesity. Type 2 Diabetes: excessive sugar consumption can cause body's cell less responsive to insulin (insulin resistance) , and eventually may result in type 2 diabetes. Heart Disease: high sugar intake can lead to higher levels of triglycerides, high blood pressure, and inflammation. These are the risk factors for heart diseases. Dental Problems: sugar is a major contributor to tooth decay and cavities. Bacteria in the mouth feed on sugar and produce acid, which erodes tooth enamel. Skin Aging: High sugar intake can accelerate skin aging through a process called glycation, where sugar molecules bind to proteins in the skin, causing it to lose elasticity and firmness. Cancer Development and Progression: some research found the relationships between sugar and cancer, especially fructose. It is a complex and nuanced topic. The primary reasons for this association are: Energy Source: cancer cells consume more glucose than normal cells because they are rapidly growing and dividing, which requires a lot of energy. Insulin and Growth Factors: high sugar intake can lead to increased levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factors in the blood. These hormones can promote cell growth and potentially contribute to the development and progression of cancer. Inflammation: high sugar intake may cause over weight and obesity. Excess body fat can lead to chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances, which may increase the risk of certain types of cancer. Learn more about the relationship between sugar and cancer in the article on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) website: Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer
External References	The National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine publication: Dietary Reference Intakes US FDA Website: Interactive Nutrition Facts Label - Total and Added Sugars Harvard Health Publishing: A good guide to good carbs: The glycemic index NIH (National Institutes of Health) article: Understanding the Link between Sugar and Cancer: An Examination of the Preclinical and Clinical Evidence
Additional Information	NLEA stands for Nutrition Labeling and Education Act

Daily Value Age Group	Recommended Daily Values
Toddler 1 to 3 years old:	25 g
Child 4 to 8 years old:	35 g
Male 9 to 13 years old:	45 g
Male 14 to 18 years old:	65 g
Male 19 to 30 years old:	70 g
Male 31 to 50 years old:	65 g
Male 51 to 70 years old:	60 g
Male Senior 71 or older:	55 g
Female 9 to 13 years old:	45 g
Female 14 to 18 years old:	50 g
Female 19 to 30 years old:	55 g
Female 31 to 50 years old:	50 g
Female 51 to 70 years old:	45 g
Female Senior 71 or older:	45 g
Female Pregnancy (>18):	55 g
Female Lactation (>18):	55 g
FDA (Based on 2000 calorie daily diet):	50 g
Notes: FDA recommends the Daily Value for Added Sugars is less than 50 gram per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommended dietary sugar intake less than 10% of daily energy intake (50 gram per 2000 daily calories) and conditionally recommended that less than 5% of daily energy intake consist of added sugar.

	The nutrient Dietary Reference Intakes and nutrition facts is from Institute of Medicine of National Academies 2006. Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11537
	Nutrition facts knowledge are based on U.S. FOOD & DRUG Administration Nutrition Education Resources & Materials. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/
	Nutrition facts knowledge are based on National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all
Disclaimer	The nutrient information provided here should not take the place of medical advice. We encourage you to talk to your healthcare providers (such as your doctor) about your dietary requirements which are best for your overall health. We also recommend you to read organization or professional reference documents or articles mentioned, but not limited to, in this page. Any mentions and reference links in this page don't represent our endorsement of their services and advice.

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