Growing scientific evidence shows that eating too much added sugar is linked to serious diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and liver disease. SugarScience is based on a comprehensive review of more than 8,000 scientific studies on the health impacts of sugar. The strongest research falls into the following five areas:

Liquid sugar, such as sodas, energy drinks and sports drinks, is the leading single source of sugar in the American diet. And there's growing scientific evidence that it's the most dangerous way to consume it.

Sugar is found in 74% of packaged foods sold in supermarkets, including many savory foods or items marketed as "healthy." How can you tell whether you're eating something healthy?

Thereâ€™s growing scientific consensus that one of the most common types of sugar, fructose, is toxic to the liver, just like alcohol.

Heart disease. Diabetes. These chronic conditions are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Increasingly, scientists are focusing on a common set of underlying metabolic issues that raise people's risk for chronic disease. And it turns out that eating too much sugar over the long-term is linked to many of these dysfunctions.

Experts agree that some added sugar in the diet is usually fine. But the truth is, most Americans are consuming way too much â€” on average, nearly 66 pounds of added sugar per person, every year.

Heart disease A broad term for a group of chronic diseases of the heart, these diseases include problems with blood supply to heart muscle, problems with heart valves and the electrical system of the heart. Another term you will see used to mean the same thing is cardiovascular disease. SugarScience Glossary

Added sugar Any sugar added in preparation of foods, either at the table, in the kitchen or in the processing plant. This may include sucrose, high fructose corn syrup and others. SugarScience Glossary

Diabetes mellitus Usually shortened to just diabetes. Sometimes called sugar diabetes. Look at Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes for more information SugarScience Glossary