The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) distilled 8,000 studies and research papers and found strong evidence that overconsumption of added sugar contributes to three major chronic illnesses: heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and liver disease.
Right now, the reality is that our consumption of sugar is out of whack, and until we bring things back into balance, we need to focus on helping people understand what the consequences are to having the average American...consume too much added sugar." -Laura Schmidt, a professor of health policy at UCSF
According to the research, the average person in America consumes the equivalent of 19.5 teaspoons a day in added sugars, but there are no federal guidelines recommending a limit. That means it's up to you and your family to self-regulate your own sugar intake.
The research team at UCSF has created a website called SugarScience that contains information such as the following facts about sugar:
4 Types of Sugar
- 74% of packaged foods contains added sugar.
- Fructose sugar can damage your liver similar to how alcohol can
- One 12-ounce can of soda a day can increase your risk of dying of heart disease by one-third
And those facts don't even include the increased risks of cavities from sugar. Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, sports drinks and energy drinks are some of the worst offenders.
If you think you already have cavities and are in the Indianapolis area, call Dr. Reese for a consultation. You may need a filling, but only a trained dentist can make this diagnosis.