Sugar certainly has gotten a bad rap lately. It's blamed for everything from obesity and diabetes to heart disease, kidney disease and stroke.
显而易见，现在糖有一个坏名声。从肥胖和糖尿病到心脏病、肾病和抽风，糖无一不被指责。
But is it really all that bad? Is there nothing redeeming about those tiny, sweet granules? Or is a lot of what we hear misinformation?
但是真的有那么坏吗？难道这些小小的甜甜的颗粒就没有任何可取之处吗？还是我们听到的都是一些错误的信息？
We know one thing for sure. Sugar consumption in America has skyrocketed. In 1990, Americans ate an average of 4 teaspoons (16 grams) of added sugar per day. By 2014, that number had shot up to 20 teaspoons (80 grams) daily.
的确，在美国，糖的消耗量猛增。1990年，美国人平均每天摄入4茶匙（16克）添加糖。到2014年，这个数字已经激涨至每天20茶匙（80克）。
In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says Americans obtain 16 percent of their total calories from added sugars, namely soda, energy and sports drinks, grain-based desserts, sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, dairy-based desserts and candy.
除此之外，美国食品药品监督管理局(FDA)称，美国人16%的能量是从添加糖中获取的，也就是苏打水，运动能量饮料，谷物类甜品，含糖果汁饮料，乳类甜点和糖果中。
The World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation? We should only be getting less than 10 percent of our daily calories from added sugar. In 2014, the WHO even proposed slashing that recommended rate to less than 5 percent.
世界卫生组织(WHO)建议我们每日添加糖摄取量应低于总摄入能量的10%。在2014年，WHO甚至提议该目标应为5%。
Clearly, we need to pay attention to sugar and our consumption rate. But first, we need to learn the truth about our favorite sweetener.
很明显，我们需要高度重视糖的摄入比例。但是首先，我们需要了解我们最喜欢的糖的真相。

10.People Can Easily Limit Sugar Intake
10.人们可以轻而易举地控制糖的摄入
OK, we need to eat less sugar. No problem. We'll just stop eating dessert, eschew the doughnuts brought in by our colleague and pass on the Halloween candy.
对，我们需要少吃点糖。没问题。我们只要停止吃甜点，避开同事带来的甜甜圈，并且对万圣节糖果视而不见。
But -- argh! -- why is it so hard? Are we weak-willed babies or what? Sugar is actually an addictive substance.
但是！啊哈！为什么就那么难！难道我们是意志力薄弱的婴儿还是啥？实际上糖是一种令人上瘾的东西。
Animal studies show sugar consumption causes bingeing, withdrawal and craving. Regularly eating sugar also makes it easier to become addicted to another drug.
动物研究表明糖的摄入会导致暴饮暴食，孤僻和欲望。规律性吃糖还会导致容易对另一种毒品上瘾。
When humans were studied, consuming fructose (a form of sugar) caused the brain's reward center to light up.
对人类的研究显示，果糖的摄入（糖的一种）会激活大脑的奖赏中枢。

However, much like a drug, over time the subjects needed to consume more and more fructose for the reward center to light up as brightly.
然而，它更像是一种毒品，随着时间推移，就需要消耗越多的果糖来使奖赏中枢产生刺激的感觉。
Additional research shows sugar and sweetness can actually be more addictive, rewarding and attractive than drugs such as cocaine.
另一项研究表明，相比可卡因等毒品，糖和甜味更容易上瘾，更加诱人。
Seems a bit preposterous, but a possible explanation, say scientists, is humankind's past evolutionary need to eat foods high in calories and sugar.
有一种可能的解释听起来有点荒唐，但是科学家说，人类的进化过程需要摄入高卡路里和高糖的食物。
Another problem: Sugar is added to more products than you might think – it's in ketchup, instant oatmeal and spaghetti sauce, for starters.
另一个问题是：糖被添加到比你想象的多的产品中——首先它就存在于番茄酱，即食燕麦片和意面酱中。

9.Added Sugar Is Bad for You
9.添加糖对你有害
In 2014, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends Americans slash their sugar consumption from the average 20 teaspoons (80 grams) a day to six (24 grams) for women and nine (36 grams) for men. And the group notes, added sugars are particularly worrisome.
2014年，美国心脏协会建议美国人应降低糖的摄入量，从平均一天20茶匙（80克）削减到女性平均一天6茶匙（24克），男性平均一天9茶匙（36克）。并且特别提到，添加糖尤其令人担忧。
Added sugars are sugars or syrups that are tossed into our food and drink during processing or preparation. They can be natural (e.g., honey) or chemically manufactured (e.g., high fructose corn syrup).
添加糖是指经过特殊加工或者处理后添加到我们的食品和饮料中的糖或者糖浆。它们可能是天然的（如蜂蜜）或者化学的（高果糖玉米糖浆）。
They're troubling because they don't provide any nutrients -- just excessive calories. And they're in more products than you might think – in ketchup, instant oatmeal and spaghetti sauce, for starters.
它们之所以令人担忧是因为它们并不提供任何营养物质——仅仅含有过量的卡路里。而且它们被添加到比你想象的多的产品中——首先就存在于番茄酱，即食燕麦片和意面酱中。

Yet you don't have to nix all added sugar from your diet. Sugar may not have any nutritional value, but it can enhance the flavor of foods that do provide important nutrients, such as whole-grain cereal or yogurt.
然而你没必要将所有的添加糖从你的饮食中剔除。糖可能没有任何营养价值，但是它可以改善真正提供重要营养物质的食物的口感，例如全麦片或酸奶。
So if sprinkling some sugar over a cup of healthy, plain yogurt is the only way you'll eat the yogurt, it's worth it to add the sweetness.
因此，如果洒一点糖在一杯健康但是平淡无味的酸奶中是让你吃掉它的唯一方法，那么这一点点糖是值得的。
Luckily, in most instances all you need is a small amount of sugar to achieve a satisfactory taste.
幸运的是，在大多数情况下，你只需要少量糖就可以获得一种让你满意的口味。
That's why it's better to buy the no-added-sugar version of the product and add a little sugar than to buy the "regular" or fully sweetened version.
这也是为什么买无添加糖的产品比买添加普通量或者加足糖的产品要好的原因。

8.Artificial Sweeteners Are Healthier Than Sugar
8.人造甜味剂甚至比天然糖更甜
Many health-conscious people favor artificial sweeteners for their food, figuring they're a better bet because they don't contain any calories.
许多有健康意识的人更倾向于在食物中加人造甜味剂，因为其几乎不含能量而是一种更佳的选择。
It's true you're avoiding calories when you stick with artificial sweeteners, but the jury's out on whether they're healthier for you.
选择人造甜味剂确实减少了卡路里摄入，但那对人们真的有利吗？
The FDA deems artificial sweeteners safe, but experts say their long-term effects still aren't known. Further, there are numerous studies that raise red flags.
美国食品药品管理局（FDA）认为尽管人造甜味剂是安全的，但长期食用其效果未可知。更进一步，已有大量的研究对其发出红色警告。

For example, one study performed by researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine found that if you eat artificially sweetened foods that are low in calories, it may cause you to down high-calories foods later in the day, especially if you ate the artificially sweetened stuff when you were tired or hungry.
例如，耶鲁大学医学院的研究者的一份研究发现，即使你选择的人工甜味剂食品低卡，但很可能让你以后对其他高热量食物上瘾，当你疲倦饥饿时尤甚。
Artificial sweeteners don't signal "energy" to the brain the way regular sugar does.
因为人造甜味剂不像真正的糖一样，传递给大脑“能量”信号。
Additionally, many people who rely on artificial sweeteners knowingly eat a little more throughout the day because they feel like they can afford to do so.
此外，许多依赖人造甜味剂的人每天都会有意地多吃一些。
After all, they've saved calories by opting for Splenda or Equal in their coffee or plain yogurt, so it's fine to have that extra hamburger or serving of potatoes.
因为他们认为自己毕竟在咖啡或纯酸奶中选择等量甜味剂，会少摄取些热量，所以多吃一个汉堡或一份薯条也无大碍。
In the end, it may be best to simply eat less real sugar than swap it out for artificial sweeteners.
最后发现，少吃点真正的糖远比选择人造甜味剂健康得多。