As Halloween approaches, the excitement for costumes, pumpkin carving, eerie decorations, and, of course, candy, begins to build. It's hard not to look forward to indulging in miniature chocolate bars, candy corn, lollipops, and other delightful treats throughout the day. However, it's essential to recognize that such a sugar-laden diet isn't sustainable for everyday consumption. The reality is that excessive sugar intake is not just a seasonal indulgence for Americans; it's a daily habit, deeply ingrained in our dietary patterns. According to the latest government figures, individuals over the age of two in the United States consume an average of 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily, which is nearly triple the American Heart Association's recommendation for women—6 teaspoons—and almost double for men—9 teaspoons. Different organizations like the USDA and WHO have slightly varying recommendations.

The mounting research indicates that excessive consumption of added sugar can lead to a myriad of health issues, including weight gain, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular and liver diseases, cancer, and even depression. Our collective sweet tooth is not entirely our own fault; the food system is designed to encourage sugar consumption, as one expert suggests. "If you struggle with sugar cravings and compulsion, you're in a food environment that constantly nudges you towards sugar," Dr. Laura Schmidt, a sociologist and health policy professor at the University of California, San Francisco, explained on Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's podcast, Chasing Life. Dr. Schmidt, who is also the lead investigator at SugarScience—a research initiative focused on the health impacts of sugar—advises against demonizing sugar but emphasizes the need to cut back on its consumption.

She points out that the problem lies in the way we discuss food and nutrition, focusing too much on individual ingredients or nutrients rather than the overall diet. "From a health perspective, it's not about single nutrients; it's about the balance of macronutrients in your diet," she said. However, she acknowledges that Americans are significantly exceeding the recommended sugar limits and that we need to consider reducing our sugar intake.

Cutting back on sugar is not always straightforward, as it is present in a vast array of foods, from the obvious like sodas and candies to the less apparent such as breakfast cereals, bread, yogurt, and tomato sauce. It's estimated that added sweeteners are found in 74% of packaged foods in supermarkets. Dr. Schmidt explains that food companies use sugar, fat, and salt to make their products more appealing, often because the industrial food production process can result in a less palatable taste.

Dr. Schmidt offers five strategies to help manage your sugar intake:

1. Avoid Liquid Sugar: Dr. Schmidt advises focusing on reducing or eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, and artificial fruit pouches. "These are the primary sources of added sugars in the American diet, particularly for children, and they offer no nutritional value," she said. She warns that liquid sugar can easily become a habit, leading to significant consumption without much awareness.
2. Reduce Sugar Cues in Your Work Environment: Encourage your workplace to stop selling sugary drinks in vending machines and cafeterias, replacing them with healthier, non-sugar alternatives. "Clinical trials have shown that when employers cease selling sugary beverages, regular soda drinkers can reduce their waist circumference by half an inch within 10 months," Dr. Schmidt said, noting that SugarScience provides free resources to assist workplaces in reducing the availability of these drinks.
3. Clean Up Your Home Food Environment: Agree with your household to avoid keeping sugary junk foods and beverages at home, opting to enjoy them only when dining out. "Studies show that sugar reduction is most effective when done as a group, rather than individually. Therefore, make a collective plan for what you will and won't keep in your kitchen," Dr. Schmidt recommends. Even if this doesn't completely eliminate your cravings, it provides an opportunity to resist the urge to indulge.
4. Plan for Psychological Stress of Sugar Withdrawal: "Sugar cravings are very real, and there are evidence-based strategies to cope with them," Dr. Schmidt said. "These strategies involve experiencing the craving in a relaxed state without acting on it, a technique known as 'surfing the urge.'" There are free guided meditations available online to help with this technique, and SugarScience also provides self-led audio resources to assist those trying to quit soda as part of a National Institutes of Health-funded clinical trial.
5. Save Sugary Foods for Desserts: Dr. Schmidt suggests that adult women should limit their added sugar intake to less than 6 teaspoons daily, men to 9 teaspoons, children to 4 teaspoons, and no added sugars for children under 2. One way to control added sugar intake is to make desserts and treats at home. "This means enjoying the sugar you consume by baking and savoring together, making the added sugar a part of celebrating life," she said. Adhering to these guidelines involves carefully checking food labels for added sugar content to keep track of your daily sugar intake.

By following these guidelines, you can reset your sugar consumption and make healthier choices.