If you crave sweets, join the crowd. According to a government survey, the average person in the United States eats the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar per day, and some consume much more. Many Americans also consume artificially sweetened foods and beverages.
How can you decide which sweeteners to consume? Here are some facts to help you make informed decisions about sweet stuff.
Sweetness times two
There are two kinds of sweeteners: nutritive and nonnutritive. Let s talk about them one at a time. Nutritive sweeteners contain calories but usually have no appreciable amounts of any other nutrients. They are used to sweeten all kinds of foods and beverages. According to nationwide surveys, the average intake of energy from these sweeteners ranges from 15-21 percent of daily calories. Soft drinks account for almost one-third of the added sugar intake for Americans.