The Average Person Consumes Over 57 Pounds of Sugar Per Year

For the majority of our lives, we have been instructed to avoid sugar. Everything has sugar, and if you consume too much of it, you'll develop diabetes, hyperactivity, tooth decay, and obesity. The majority of our health problems appear to be caused by sugar. Or it isn't. The rules evolve, and at this point, we seem to be very certain that moderate natural sugars are okay, but that we should perhaps cut back on refined sugars and other foods high in fructose and corn syrup.

Whatever your source of sugar, you might be shocked to learn how much of it we all consume. The figures vary slightly between sources, which is maybe expected when working with averages, but it appears that the typical adult consumes 57 to 60 pounds of added sugar annually. That is added sugar, not the sugars that are present naturally in things like fruits. Children devour a few more pounds annually.

Look in your cup if you're concerned about your personal sugar intake. Drinks account for about half of that extra sugar. That includes everything that people often add sugar to, such as tea and coffee as well as soft drinks.