The average American adult (aged 20 or older) eats 17.5 teaspoons of added sugars per day. Added sugars are those added to foods and beverages during production or preparation, including high fructose corn syrup used in soft drinks, ketchup, and other processed food. Do the math, and those 17.5 teaspoons of added sugars are 70 grams a day—far above the 37.5 grams for men and 25.0 grams for women recommended by the American Heart Association. This is where those added sugars come from...
Added sugars consumed daily by adults
Total added sugars: 72.8 grams (100%)
Food at home: 54.8 grams (75%)
Sit-down restaurants: 4.2 grams (6%)
Take-out and fast food: 6.4 grams (9%)
School, other: 7.4 grams (10%)
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Consumption and Nutrient Intakes, Average Daily Intake of Food by Food Source and Demographic Characteristics, 2007–10