( Health.com ) -- Every few years , there 's a new food bad guy in town -- and right now , it 's sugar . Some experts have even declared it a `` poison '' that 's `` killing us . '' Yet could the sweet stuff people have been eating forever really be so terrible ? `` We actually need sugar ; it 's our body 's preferred fuel , '' says Dr. David Katz , director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center . `` But we eat too damn much of it . '' Naturally occurring sugar -- which gives fruit , some veggies , and milk their sweet taste â€ ” is perfectly healthy . It 's added sugar ( sweeteners put in during processing and prep ) that we need to not OD on . No need to cut out dessert : The key is to eat strategically . Happily , some major companies are getting on board . In the past four years , cereal brands have cut back on sugar , the milk industry recently lowered amounts in the chocolate milk served in schools , and Walmart is aiming for 10 % less added sugar in select foods by 2015 . Health.com : 25 ways to cut 500 calories a day . We turned to experts to clear up the confusion over this tasty temptress . As Katz says , `` There 's a role for sugar in our diet . After all , what 's the point of being healthy if it 's not to enjoy living ? '' Is there such thing as a sweet tooth ? Yes , sugar love is in your DNA . Researchers have found two sweet-receptor genes that can predict a preference for sweets . How much is OK ? The American Heart Association ( AHA ) recommends most women get no more than 24 grams of added sugar per day . That 's about six teaspoons , or 100 calories -- a little less than the amount in one can of soda . Thing is , the average American woman eats about 18 daily teaspoons . Sugar is hidden in unlikely foods , from salad dressing to crackers , which can push you past 24 grams . Read labels ; if there 's a sweetener in the first few ingredients ( some common aliases : evaporated cane juice , high-fructose corn syrup , fruit juice concentrate , agave nectar , fructose , dextrose , and syrup ) , look for a brand with a low-or no-sugar option . Health.com : Diet-busting foods you should never eat . Is it really so bad ? `` Sugar is an important part of our lives , '' says Dr. Miriam Vos , assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine . `` But a little goes a long way . '' The AHA links added sugar to obesity , type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease . In a nutshell , eating too much sugar can cause fat buildup in the liver , which can lead to these problems . It 's not all bad . `` There 's no need to avoid the naturally-occurring sugars in fruit , vegetables , and low- and nonfat dairy , '' says Rachel K. Johnson , professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington . As sweet as some of these things may taste , they contain relatively small amounts of sugar . Plus , nature 's packaging comes with essential vitamins and minerals , along with water and fiber that slow the release of sugars into the bloodstream and prevent insulin spikes . Health.com : 23 superfruits you need now . What 's up with 'natural ' sugars ? Sugar in the raw is no better than regular sugar . Agave nectar , alas , is also not great : Its main constituent , fructose , tends to get held up in the liver more than other types of sugar . Some sweeteners , like raw honey and sucanat , have trace nutrients , but they 're all the same as white sugar in terms of calories -- and some contain even more calories . Is it OK to use calorie-free sweeteners ? Yes ! The FDA deems stevia , aspartame ( Equal ) , sucralose ( Splenda ) , and other cal-free sweeteners safe . `` Short-term data suggests they 're safer than table sugar , '' says Kimber Stanhope , a nutritional biologist at the University of California-Davis . Faux sugar wo n't cause blood-sugar spikes or weight gain -- and all the potential health ills . As Stanhope says , `` I use them because I ca n't afford the extra calories ! '' Copyright Health Magazine 2011 .
Doctors : The first thing to do is get a good blood test and make sure you are not suffering from any of the following conditions or conditions: Diabetes mellitus type 2 ( which can be caused Added sugars need to be monitored instead of naturally occurring ones . The American Heart Association says six teaspoons of added sugar is the daily limit for women . The AHA recommends that men get no more than nine teaspoons of added sugar daily .