Americans consume a ½ pound of sugar a day.

1 tsp= 4 grams

1 cube =1 tsp

SugarStacks.com provides a great visual for children and adults of how much sugar is in certain foods. Have your child look up certain foods they enjoy to see how much sugar is in those selected foods.

Excessive sugar is the culprit of so many health problems ranging from obesity, diabetes, cavities, heart disease, suppressing the immune system, etc. etc. Even complex carbohydrates have sugar, like vegetables. That is why it is important to monitor your sugar intake and be sure to include fruits and vegetables in your tally.

Try to substitute refined sugar and artificial sweeteners for a better sweetener like maple syrup, honey or stevia (or stevia extract). Rapdura is a good alternative for baking. It has a lot simpler processing then evaporated cane juice and even has some health benefits. You can buy it at Whole Foods but need to ask for it. It has a little stronger flavor but is not that noticeable. Agave is not a good alternative. It is similarly processed to HFCS and has more fructose that HFCS.

Information taken from Kelly Scanlon and Sheryl Shenefelt at the Growing Connection Conference/2010.