Calories From Added Sugars Can Add Up

Sugar is often added to processed foods and beverages. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s updated nutrition labeling requirements will include the amount of added sugars, and until the rollout is complete, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition offers insight into the added sugar content of beverages.
 
Researchers analyzed 160,713 beverages purchased by U.S. households from 2007 to 2012. Although the amount of added sugar in beverages did not change significantly over time, the sugar’s contribution to beverage calories did increase. The average 12 grams a day of added sugars accounted for 32% to 48% of the calories in packaged beverages.