Question: I want to kick the sugar habit. Is there a food that I can substitute for sugar?

Dr. Brownstein's Answer:

We certainly eat too much sugar in the United States. Teenagers are estimated to ingest more than 34 teaspoons of sugar per day. That corresponds to more than 130 grams. The U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines suggest a healthy diet for teens should contain 72 grams of sugar.

Unfortunately, much of our food supply has refined sugar added to it, so it’s easy to exceed the USDA’s recommendations. You could do it simply by eating a quarter cup of pancake syrup or having a 12-ounce soft drink. Even a fruit-filled yogurt contains nearly the entire daily allotment.

What’s more, the USDA’s recommendation does not take into account the quality of sugar. We should all avoid refined sugar. Unrefined sugar (such as pure cane sugar), which contains potassium, calcium, and magnesium, is a much better choice. Sugar substitutes include xylitol, maple syrup, and molasses.

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