Americans consume more sugar than any other country in the world. 

On average, we consume 126.4 grams a day. That’s 5 times the highest daily sugar recommendation.  

We’re totally out of control - and it’s dangerous.

People who consume 25% of their total daily calories from sugar, have more than twice the risk of dying from heart disease.

Our immune systems are compromised by 40% for at least 5 hours after drinking the amount of sugar found in a medium soda. 

People who drink sugary drinks regularly, age much faster than those who don’t. 

The acid we produce to break down sugar, starts dissolving our tooth enamel within 30 minutes of sugar consumption.

Too much sugar is obviously scary - but cutting it out sounds so daunting. 

That’s why we’re going to start with small changes.

It’s time to take a hard look at one of our biggest offenders and potentially one of our easiest sugar sources to get in check: coffee.

Would you like cream and sugar?

Statistics show that its a question that 2 out of 3 of us say ‘yes’ to. 

And the next logical question would be, ‘how many?’ 

The average American coffee drinker will consume nearly three teaspoons of sugar in their coffee EACH DAY. 

The American Heart Association recommends that in a day, men consume no more than 9 teaspoons (37.5 grams), and women should consume no more than 6 (25 grams).

This means that the average female coffee drinker is getting 50% of her daily recommended sugar in coffee alone! 

Starbucks, I’ll miss you

I friggin’ LOVE Starbucks, but most of their pre-made drinks are downright irresponsible.

Those super popular Pumpkin Spiced Lattes we all crave in the Fall?

50 GRAMS OF SUGAR! Twice what I, as a woman, am supposed to consume for an entire day!

Vanilla Frappuccino: 69 grams

White Chocolate Mocha: 54 grams

Vanilla Latte: 35 grams

It’s total madness.

Why Starbucks whyyyyyy?!? I really will miss you.

Time to cut back

If you can’t stand black coffee, try out some natural sweeteners like Xylitol or Stevia. They’ll give you that ‘sweet’ taste, without contributing to tooth decay. 

If you MUST add sugar, add it yourself and keep your amounts very small. Starbucks is certainly not the only sugar offender here.  

Lastly, see a biological dentist regularly to make sure your health is in order. With a focus on preventative dentistry and whole-body health, he or she is in the best position to tell you how your diet is truly affecting you. 

Dr. Giri Palani, owner of Palani Center for Dental Implants in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, explains that, “the mouth is connected to the rest of the body and disease in the mouth can affect other body systems.”

His practice puts a large emphasis on preventative dentistry and he discusses patient diet and potential implications as a routine part of his regular exams. In Dr. Palani’s own words, “Preventative dentistry is essential to a healthy body.”    

Ok, so we’re nixing the frappuccinos. We’re trying out Stevia and finding a biological dentist to discuss our diets further. It sounds like we’re ready to start reclaiming our health back from sugar! 

Take the first step now by scheduling an appointment with one of our biological dentists, specializing in oral and whole-body health, today!