06 May Most added sugar comes from food we eat, not sugary drinks

Sugary drinks such as soda pop get a bad rap for helping making Americans overweight and obese, and rightfully so.
It’s very important to limit how many sugary drinks you have, or cut them out altogether.
However, it may be surprising for some people to learn beverages are not the No. 1 culprit for loading Americans down with sugar and unwanted calories.
According to new research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most of the added sugar in the American diet comes not from food, not beverages.
So simply dropping your Big Gulp Monster Coke to a regular size isn’t going to help you lose weight.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that sugary drinks contribute on average one-third of the calories Americans consume in a typical day.
Nearly 70 percent of the calories from added sugars that Americans consume each day are the result of eating from processed foods such as breads, cakes and ice cream. Other sources of added sugars include items such as tomato sauce, jellies, condiments, salad dressings and cereals.
Ingredients on food labels are usually listed in descending order by weight.
The easiest way to watch out for these super sugar sources and avoid them is to simply read the product labels while in the grocery store.
If sugar is listed as one of the first few ingredients, the you probably want to put it back on the shelf.
To really take control of your diet and cut out as much sugar as possible, schedule an appointment with a dietician.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. Consult a doctor before making any significant changes in your exercise routine or diet. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com