Does Sugar Make Life Sweeter?
by Carla Marie Toth
How much sugar do you think you consume in a year? How much sugar do you think the average American consumes each year?
Statistically speaking, the people of the United States consume the most sugar, more than all the other peoples of the world. The USDA reports the average American ingests 57 pounds of added sugars a year, according to their 2018 study. According to Dr. Mark Hymen, one of the pioneers of functional medicine, it is 152 pounds. Added sugars in this context are sugars that are not naturally occurring in a food, such as cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup.
For many decades it has been stated by authorities such as the CDC, USDA, HHS, and ADA that sugar consumption can lead to obesity and diabetes. But at the same time, many sugar-induced illnesses have been swept under the rug, while others are just now beginning to be examined.