Don't give in to sweet temptations - Nutrition Notes - MSNBC.com

Don't give in to sweet temptations - Nutrition Notes - MSNBC.com

Moderation can be difficult when it comes to sugary treatsBy Karen Collins, R.D.
Registered Dietitian
Special to MSNBC.com
Updated: 11:49 a.m. ET May 13, 2005Chocolate, bakery, soft drinks and other sweets are available around the clock. Their constant availability can make eating moderate amounts of them difficult.
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Although complete avoidance of sweets is unnecessary for good health, the calories in sweets add up quickly, making weight control more difficult. Sweets can also replace nutritious foods that have vitamins, fiber, phytochemicals and other substances vital to our well-being.
Part of the problem with sweets is that setting reasonable limits can be confusing. Some experts suggest that no more than ten percent of our calories should come from added sugars. Added sugars means sweeteners like table sugar, high fructose corn syrup and honey, not the natural sugars in fruits and milk, for example.
According to these experts, a reasonable amount of added sugars would vary with a person�s calorie needs. Adults who are sedentary or trying to lose weight might limit themselves to 160 to 180 calories of added sugar (40�45 grams) per day.
This amount could be a 12-ounce regular soft drink or 2 cookies and a cup of ice cream, as long as few other sweetened foods, like jelly or sugary cereals were not eaten during the day. Moderately active people who want to maintain their weight, might have 200�240 calories of added sugar (50�60 grams). These people could enjoy a small candy bar and six small cookies, for instance, but sugar in a 12-ounce regular soft drink adds up quickly and leaves room for little else.

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