AHA recommends 25 g of added sugars for women, 37.5 g for men

By David Liu (davidl@foodconsumer.org) 

The American Heart Association on Aug 25 released a scientific statement  which says that most American women should consume no more than 100 calories or 25 grams of added sugars each day and most men no more than 150 calories of 37.5 grams of added sugar each day. 

The statement cites the 2001–04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) that found intake of added sugars for an Average American was 22.2 teaspoons per day (355 calories or 88.75 grams). 

"Sugar has no nutritional value other than to provide calories," Lead author of the statement Rachel Johnson said. "Consuming foods and beverages with excessive amounts of added sugars displaces more nutritious foods and beverages for many people." 

The AHA says in a press release that high intake of added sugars is implicated in a number of health conditions including obesity, high blood pressure and other heart risk factors for heart disease and stroke, the number one and number three killers in the United States. 

But consumers should not be scared away from consuming added sugars.  Johnson was quoted as saying "It is important to remember that people’s discretionary calorie ‘budgets’ can vary, depending on their activity level and energy needs." 

"So, if you can’t live with the recommended limits on your added sugars, you’ll have to move more." 

The AHA gives out the following to instruct consumers on how to use its recommendations: 

For example, a moderately active 51–55 year-old woman who eats 1,800 calories per day and maintains her weight would have about 195 discretionary calories per day and only about 100 calories, or half that amount, should come from added sugars. In comparison, if that same woman, still maintaining her weight, was more physically active and burned 2,200 calories a day, she could consume 2,200 calories a day, and would have a larger discretionary ‘budget’ of about 290 calories. About half of that amount, or 145 calories, could come from added sugars. 

Is it really safe for women to use 25 grams of added sugars and for men to eat 37.5 grams of added sugars each and every day for 365 days a year?