Sugar overload: WHO may cut sugar recommendations by half

The World Health Organization is considering cutting the amount of sugar it recommends in your daily diet to half the current limit.

Experts are proposing cutting the recommended level that people should consume from no more than 10 percent of their calories from sugar to no more than five percent, based on fears of heart disease, obesity, and tooth decay, The Sunday Times in the UK reports. The new requirements equate to about five teaspoons of sugar a day -- about the same as in a Mar bars or in half a can of a soda.

"It is political dynamite," said Philip James, president of the WHO-affiliated International Association for the Study of Obesity, in the report. "The food industry will do everything in their power to undermine this."

"I would agree with the recommendation to reduce it to five percent," added Shrinath Reddy, a cardiologist and a member of the WHO panel of experts. "There is overwhelming evidence coming out about sugar-sweetened beverages and other sugar consumption [being linked] to obesity, diabetes and even cardiovascular disease."

According to recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, most US adults get a whopping 13 percent of their total calories from added sugars alone. Not only does that add a lot of extra calories which contribute to making us fat, sugary items often displace healthier items, such as fruits, vegetables, and foods packed with nutrients.