New guidence on sugar consumption from WHO

New proposal suggests that people should eat less sugar than what is already recommended

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – How much sugar do you eat each day? With so much added sugar in all kinds of processed foods, the answer may surprise you.

The World Health Organization is challenging you to only eat 6 teaspoons a sugar a day.

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Even if you're not eating dessert all the time, there is a lot of sugar in things you may not realize. For example, a single tablespoon of ketchup has about one teaspoon of sugar. 

For example a single tablespoon of ketchup has about one teaspoon of sugar. A single cup of apple juice exceeds the amount of the recommended daily calories.

In a new guideline on sugar consumption, The United Nation's health agency recommends that no more than 10 percent of daily calories should come in the form of sugar. Now the WHO believes that people would get additional benefits of they can keep their sugar consumption bellow 5 percent of daily calories which is equivalent to 6 teaspoons of sugar.

According to research documentation has deleterious effects. It is also causes dental problems and cavities.

"There is increasing concern that consumption of free sugars, particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages, may result in both reduced intake of foods containing more nutritionally adequate calories and an increase in total caloric intake, leading to an unhealthy diet, weight gain and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases or NCD's," said the WHO.


About the Authors:

Emmy-nominated journalist Kristin Cason joined the News 6 team in June 2016.