By Chelsea Reinberg

Do you find yourself often craving something sweet? Well, you are certainly not alone if you answered yes.

Many Americans find themselves indulging in sweet treats and sugar-sweetened beverages regularly: so much so that the average American adult consumes two to three times more added sugar daily than the recommended amount. Most of the added sugar in our diets comes from sugar-sweetened beverages (47%) and snacks and sweets (31%).

The American Heart Association advises limiting added sugar intake to no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams) for men and 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for women and kids older than two years. Additionally, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting calories from added sugars to no more than 10 percent or less of your total daily energy intake. These recommendations are for added sugar, not those that are found naturally in fruits, dairy, vegetables and grains.

When we think about the consequences of consuming too much sugar, we typically think of diabetes. However, too much added sugar in your diet also may put you at risk for cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, obesity and even some cancers.

Interestingly, as we as we age our taste buds become less sensitive and our sense of smell declines, which results in foods tasting a little blander than it used to. Diseases and medications also can diminish our taste and smell perception. The five basic tastes we identify are sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savory). Of these, sweet and salty are the two that are most often desired by individuals.

In addition to the pleasant taste, older adults may have other factors that come into play that result in them choosing foods with more added sugar. For example, lower appetites, declining physical ability, less access to food, eating alone and choosing to eat foods they want based on enjoyment all play a factor into the types and nutritional quality of the foods that older adults choose to eat.

Here are some tips to reduce the amount of added sugar in your diets.

• Consume fruit that is fresh, frozen, canned in water or 100% juice, or dried with no added sugar.
• Read nutrition labels and watch for hidden added sugar in foods. Compare products and choose the one with the lowest amount of added sugar.
• Swap out your soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages for water. Try flavored water or adding water to a sugar-sweetened beverage to dilute it down.
• Reduce the sugar in baked goods by about one-third to one-half. Often you won’t even know it is less!
• Limit artificial sweeteners. Although they may temporarily fix your sweet craving, they may lead to eating more later. Plus, the foods may still be highly processed with limited or no nutritional benefit.

November is National Diabetes Month. I encourage you to take a pledge and aim to reduce the amount of added sugar in your diet for the month. You might be surprised how great you feel and the health benefits received by reducing the amount of added sugar in your diet!

Chelsea Reinberg is the nutrition, food safety and health agent at the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Office.