Is Sugar Dangerous for You? Right here’s What Dietitians Need to Say

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="534" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sugar-bad-for-you-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Is Sugar Bad for You? Here’s What Dietitians Have to Say | MyFitnessPal" decoding="async" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sugar-bad-for-you-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sugar-bad-for-you-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sugar-bad-for-you-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sugar-bad-for-you.jpg 1350w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> You begin your morning with a bowl of oatmeal made with almond milk, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of granola on prime. It looks as if a healthful, nourishing breakfast, however add it up, and also you is likely to be getting greater than the really useful 25 grams of added sugar earlier than 9 AM with out even realizing it.

As a dietitian who makes a speciality of added sugar and its influence on well being, I see this on a regular basis in my observe. The reality is, sugar isn’t mechanically unhealthy (1). Naturally occurring sugars in meals like fruit and dairy come bundled with fiber, nutritional vitamins, minerals, and different health-protective substances (1).

However added sugars—the sort producers combine into meals and drinks to reinforce the style and texture—are a distinct story. They’re simple to overdo, even if you’re making an attempt to make nutritious selections (2).

Persistently consuming excessive quantities of added sugar can depart you feeling drained, craving extra sugar, and has been related to weight acquire and different well being challenges over time (2). That mentioned, you don’t must stop sugar or skip your favourite meals. On this article, I’ll share what sugar does in your physique, why added sugar issues, and learn how to make more healthy, extra sustainable selections with out giving up what you're keen on.

Not All Sugar Is Created Equal

When folks speak about reducing again on sugar, they usually marvel concerning the sugar in candy fruits like watermelon and bananas. For the sake of decreasing your added sugar consumption, you don’t have to fret concerning the sugar in pure, complete meals, like fruit and plain yogurt (1). That’s as a result of not all sugar is identical, and your physique responds in a different way relying on the supply (1).

Pure vs. Added Sugar

There’s a giant distinction between the sugar in an apple and the sugar in a frosted donut. Pure sugars are present in complete meals like fruit and plain dairy, the place they’re bundled with vitamins that assist well being and gradual the discharge of sugar into your bloodstream (1).

Added sugars, like cane sugar, honey, maple syrup, and fruit juice focus, are added throughout processing or preparation to reinforce taste (2). You’ll discover them in the whole lot from sweetened drinks and yogurts to salad dressings, frozen meals, and even bread (2).

Whereas your physique converts all sugar to glucose, added sugars are far simpler to overconsume, particularly since they’re present in about 60% of packaged meals (3). And in contrast to pure sugars, they don’t supply the identical dietary worth (1).

As MyFitnessPal dietitian Katherine Basbaum explains, “The Dietary Pointers for Individuals recommends limiting added sugar as a lot as attainable, to not more than 100–150 energy per day (4).”

Why Added Sugar Will get a Dangerous Rap

There’s a cause well being consultants warn about added sugar. Excessive consumption has been linked to numerous well being points in analysis (5). “Overconsumption of added sugar is quite common and has been related to metabolic well being issues, together with kind 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, weight acquire, and weight problems,” explains Denise Hernandez, MyFitnessPal dietitian (5).

Added sugar can contribute to will increase and subsequent drops in blood sugar ranges, which can depart you feeling drained, hungry, and craving extra (2). These swings can contribute to overeating and low power all through the day (2). Past that, an excessively sugary food regimen might enhance the danger of growing situations equivalent to:

coronary heart illness (5)

hypertension (5)

sure sorts of most cancers (5)

cognitive issues, together with dementia (5)

liver illness (5)

imaginative and prescient issues (5)

nerve harm (5)

persistent irritation (5)

superior pores and skin ageing (5)

A sugary food regimen additionally primes your style buds to need candy meals, which can make it more durable to just accept unsweetened meals, like greens and water (2).

Concerning the Consultants

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nationally acknowledged meals and vitamin professional, media character, vitamin marketing consultant, and writer. Cassetty is a former vitamin director for Good Housekeeping and the co-author of the e-book Sugar Shock.

Katherine Basbaum, MS, RD, is Meals Knowledge Curator at MyFitnessPal. She acquired her Masters in Vitamin Communication from the Friedman College of Vitamin Science & Coverage at Tufts College and accomplished her Dietetic Internship at UVA Well being, the place she additionally works as a vitamin counselor for cardiology sufferers.

Denise Hernandez, RD, is a Meals Knowledge Curator at MyFitnessPal. Denise accomplished her Grasp’s Diploma in Vitamin from Texas Lady’s College. Her areas of focus embody grownup and childhood weight administration, girls’s vitamin, and persistent illness administration.

How A lot Sugar Is Too A lot?

The Dietary Pointers for Individuals advocate limiting added sugar as a lot as attainable–to lower than 50 grams (about 12 ½ teaspoons) per day (4). Many individuals might have to eat even much less. The American Coronary heart Affiliation has stricter tips (5). They counsel that girls eat not more than 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Males ought to keep beneath 38 grams, or 9 teaspoons per day (5). As you may see, you don’t want to chop out sugar completely, but it surely helps to know the place you stand (4).

Do You Must Reduce Out Sugar Utterly?

I at all times inform new shoppers that I like sweets, so I’d by no means anticipate them to chop out dessert or added sugar completely. The truth is, making an attempt to eradicate sugar can backfire, resulting in attainable emotions of deprivation, stress, and stronger cravings (2).

As an alternative of aiming for zero added sugar, make stability your objective (2). This implies being aware of the place your added sugars come from and intentional concerning the treats you really take pleasure in (2). Satisfaction is a key a part of sustainable consuming, and it helps to strike a stability between meals you eat purely for pleasure and those who nourish your physique.

MyFitnessPal can assist this by serving to you monitor sugar, energy, and different key vitamins like carbs, fiber, and protein, so you may spot alternatives for enchancment and regulate with out overly proscribing your self.

As Dr. Nicola Guess, Vitamin Scientist and MyFitnessPal Scientific Advisor, explains: “Test the ingredient listing and vitamin info panel. Search for meals with minimal added sugars. It’s essential to stability processed meals with complete, nutritious meals and to be aware of portion sizes and general dietary patterns (2).”

Listed below are just a few of my favourite methods to take pleasure in sweets mindfully and healthfully.

Strive smaller parts if you happen to take pleasure in day by day indulgences (6).

Select individually packaged treats to make portion management simpler (6).

At all times use a plate or bowl since consuming from the bag makes it more durable to gauge how a lot you’ve had (6).

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Good Methods to Reduce Again on Added Sugar

In case you’re making an attempt to reduce on added sugars with out feeling restricted, listed below are a few of my favourite easy, sustainable methods.

Begin with drinks. Swap sweetened drinks for water, plain seltzer, or unsweetened tea. (2).

Combine sweetened meals with unsweetened ones. This works properly with cereal, yogurt, or oatmeal. Begin with a 50/50 mix and slowly shift the ratio towards the plain model.

Evaluate related meals. The Vitamin Info panel lists added sugars, making it simple to decide on merchandise with much less sugar—like peanut butter, pasta sauce, or granola (4).

Go for naturally candy meals. Roast veggies to convey out their pure sweetness and finish meals with fruit-based desserts to assist your style buds adapt to much less added sugar.

Use sweet-tasting seasonings. Substances like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and vanilla extract can add a touch of sweetness with out the sugar.

Make extra from scratch. Home made path combine, salad dressings, oats, soups, or baked items allow you to management how a lot (if any) sugar goes in.

Monitor your consumption. MyFitnessPal might help you notice the place sugars sneak in so you may regulate with intention (2).

Be selective with treats. Select sweets you really take pleasure in and skip those that don’t really feel particular.

Continuously Requested Questions (FAQs)

What’s the distinction between pure sugar and added sugar? Pure sugar happens in complete meals like fruit and milk and are typically not a priority for most individuals when consumed as a part of a balanced food regimen (1). Added sugar is launched throughout processing or preparation, and an excessive amount of might increase your threat of quite a few well being issues (1).

Is honey or maple syrup more healthy than white sugar? All of them increase your blood sugar and are greatest loved carefully, however if you happen to’re utilizing a sweetener, honey and maple syrup are my most popular sweeteners since they've some antioxidants and protecting plant compounds (7). That mentioned, it’s like a drop of water within the ocean in comparison with what you will get from fruits, veggies, and different plant meals.

Does sugar trigger diabetes? Indirectly (8). There are a number of issues, together with genetics and a food regimen excessive in added sugars, that will increase your threat of diabetes (9).

Why is sugar in fruit OK? Fruit incorporates fiber that slows sugar absorption and a spectrum of vitamins that provide well being advantages (1).

Can I drop some pounds with out reducing sugar? You’ll drop some pounds if you obtain a calorie deficit, whatever the meals you eat, however decreasing added sugar usually helps with starvation, power ranges, and calorie consumption (2, 10). Additionally, a sugary food regimen might increase your threat of well being issues even if you happen to’re at a wholesome weight (2).

Is synthetic sweetener higher than sugar? Some folks discover them useful for decreasing their added sugar consumption, however long-term well being results are nonetheless being studied. Since they’re usually a part of much less wholesome general diets, it’s greatest to be considerate about how and if you use any sweetener (11).

The Backside Line

Sugar doesn’t must be the villain in your food regimen, but it surely’s useful to be extra conscious of how a lot—and the place—it’s exhibiting up (2). By tuning into added sugars, making considerate swaps, and monitoring your consumption with MyFitnessPal, you can also make extra knowledgeable selections that assist your well being with out giving up the meals you're keen on (2).