DEAR DOCTOR. COCKROACH: I have questions about the Nutrition Facts label on food products, specifically as it relates to sugar. Labels now provide a Percent Daily Value for “added sugars.” Doing the math (for example, 10 grams of added sugars equals 20% of the daily value) indicates that the daily value for added sugars (for a 2,000 calorie daily diet) is 50 grams. I guess this is not a goal, but an amount to try not to exceed. Less is better? Would zero be the best?
There is no Daily Value information on the labels for “total sugar.” The Food and Drug Administration website says, “No daily reference value has been established for total sugars because no recommendation has been made for the total amount to eat in a day.” I guess this is not to be interpreted to mean that any amount of “natural” sugar is fine. For example, just 8 ounces of orange juice has 22 grams of total sugar, without added sugar. That sounds like a lot of sugar, even if it is “natural” sugar. Even if there are no formal guidelines, in your opinion, is there a limit to the amount of natural sugar one should strive to maintain each day? –SC
ANSWER: To your body, the sugar found naturally in food is sometimes exactly the same, chemically, as added sugar. A glass of orange juice has almost the same amount of sugar as a sugar-sweetened soft drink. Your body can’t tell the difference, so I recommend consuming only modest amounts of fruit juices: 8 ounces is about 40% of a person’s recommended total sugar intake per day.
The sugar contained in whole fruits is absorbed more slowly due to the fruit’s fiber content, and most authorities believe that it does not have the same health risks as consuming essentially pure sugar in liquid form. A good-sized apple has 20 to 25 grams of sugar, but the same amount of sugar in an apple and apple juice is not treated the same way by the body. For example, whole fruit doesn’t quickly raise blood sugar like fruit juices or sodas. This is mainly because the fiber in the fruit slows the absorption of sugar and the fiber is absent in the juice.
However, I do not recommend large amounts of fruit per day. Best is one or two servings at most with a meal. Fruits contain little protein and should make up only a small proportion of our caloric intake. Vegetables, legumes, and nuts have very little sugar and should make up a large proportion of our daily calories. Most high-protein foods contain little sugar on their own. It’s processed foods, especially baked goods, that have high amounts of added sugar. They’re best avoided, not just because of the sugar, but because of the lack of other valuable nutrients in most processed foods.
I do not recommend anyone to aim for zero sugar intake. Fruits are fun and good for you in moderation. One should choose their sugar intake wisely.
Dr. Roach regrets that he cannot answer individual letters, but will incorporate them into the column whenever possible. Readers can email questions to [email protected] or mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.
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