This means that if you drink even 1 can/bottle of soda or sugary drink a day without any other changes to your diet or exercise, you can gain 15 pounds in a year solely due to the extra sugar content.
How much sugar is too much?
Naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruits, are also accompanied by vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that facilitate their metabolism and allow cells to efficiently utilize their food.
The recommended daily amounts of carbohydrates depend on age, height, and activity level. However, on average, the American Heart Association recommends limiting added (not naturally occurring) sugars to 6 teaspoons/30 grams per day (approximately 100 calories) for women and 9 teaspoons/45 grams (approximately 150 calories) for men.
Nutrition labels list the total carbohydrates in packaged foods and break that number down into fiber and sugars. Generally, more than 22.5 grams of sugar is considered too much, and 5 grams or less is considered low. Total carbohydrates should make up about 45-65% of your daily calorie intake.
With a typical 2000 calorie/day diet, 900-1300 calories, or 225-325 grams, should come from carbohydrates. You can use labels to find out how much added sugar and total carbohydrates you get from packaged foods in a day. You can also find the carbohydrate content of products using resources like Nutrition Facts.
To give you an idea of the carbohydrate content of typical foods:
