Which, compared to recommendations from other organizations, is actually pretty generous. The American Heart Association says that women should limit their sugar intake to 6 teaspoons per day (24 g) and men should limit theirs to 9 teaspoons (36 g). But it’s far from a free-for-all. While you can feel a little less bad about a packet of sugar in your coffee or a cookie after dinner, it’s still insanely easy to overdo it on the sweet stuff. Need proof? Here are seven drinks, meals, and snacks that load you up with more sugar than what the FDA recommends you get in an entire day. A bottle of cola You don’t need to buy one of those ginormous cups of fountain soda to clear the recommended limit. You’ll get 52 g of sugar in a 16-ounce bottle of the fizzy stuff. Splurge on a 20-ouncer, and you’re up to 65 g of sugar. Tricked out breakfast bowls A smoothie base topped with granola and fresh fruit sounds insanely virtuous. But thanks to ingredients like sweetened soymilk, fruit juice, and honey, some of the bowls you can order at your favorite smoothie spot pack close to 60 g sugar. You might as well be eating pancakes drenched in syrup. MORE: How Much Sugar Are You Really Eating Every Day? Anything smothered in BBQ sauce Sure, ribs and chicken are high in protein. But the barbecue sauces they’re smothered in are loaded with sweeteners like white or brown sugar, honey, and molasses. Which means your platter of meat is actually delivering upwards of 60 g sugar. (Check out these 10 surprising foods with sugar listed as the first ingredient.) Bottled green juice You know that deliciously sweet flavor isn’t coming from the kale and parsley, right? Some green juices pack as much as 53 g sugar per 16-ounce bottle—mostly in the form of zero-fiber fruit juice. If you’re looking for a low-sugar juice, stick with one of these bottled picks or make it yourself at home. Asian chicken salads The sweet-savory thing that makes these salads so addictive is also what makes them so horrible for you. And it’s not just the ones topped with crispy chicken tenders: Even grilled Asian-style chicken salads can pack as much as 56 g sugar. If you can’t resist them, go light on the sugar-laden dressing. MORE: 56 Different Names for Sugar Fruit smoothies The ones you make at home are probably fine. But if you’re getting a blended fruit drink at a restaurant or café, be prepared to down as much as 70 g sugar—thanks to the addition of things like flavored yogurt, fruit juice, sorbet, and loads of honey. (Here’s how to make a lower-sugar smoothie on your own.) Salted caramel hot chocolate It might have salt in the name, but this creamy drink is pure sugar. A whopping 64 grams in a 16-ounce serving, to be exact. Stick with the plain stuff if you want to avoid going overboard—but proceed with caution for the rest of the day. Even a regular hot chocolate still has around 43 g sugar.
