Be careful to be sure when comes to sugar you stay away from processed foods. Think natural sugars from whole foods; apples oranges and so much more.

Sugar gets a bad rap, but the truth is that it’s a vital source of energy and essential to our survival. Of course, not all sugars are the same. Fructose found in fruits and vegetables and lactose in dairy-rich foods are natural sugars we don’t have to be as concerned about because these foods also have fiber and calcium, for example. Added sugars, however, which are often found in processed foods, are those we could do without, and most of us consume too much of them.

According to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average American consumes 270 calories of added sugars — that’s 17 teaspoons (tsp) each day.