Everyday I see health headlines warning us about the hazardous  heart risks associated with eating too much added sugar. But added sugar seems to be everywhere even in places you don’t expect it! And in some cases there’s even more added sugar in your favorite products than you could imagined.

I spyed added sugar in Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla flavored coffee creamer. The nutritional label states that a 32 fl oz bottle contains 63 single servings. There are 6 grams of sugar in each serving which means the entire bottle contains 94.5 teaspoons of sugar.

Although no one would probably pour the whole bottle of Coffee Creamer into their coffee, I think it’s safe to say that many of us consume more sugar than we realize. It’s important to be aware of how much sugar you consume because our bodies don’t need sugar to function properly. Added sugars contribute zero nutrients but many added calories that can lead to extra pounds or even obesity, thereby reducing heart health.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting the amount of added sugars you consume to no more than half of your daily discretionary calories allowance. For most American women, that’s no more than 100 calories per day, or about 6 teaspoons of sugar. For men, it’s 150 calories per day, or about 9 teaspoons.

Keep in mind, sugars in your diet can be naturally occurring or added. Naturally occurring sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose). Added sugars are sugars and syrups put in foods during preparation or processing, or added at the table.

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