To buy Chocolate Cheerios or not...The sugar debate: How much is too much?

Yesterday, I sparked a little bit of a controversy by posting a picture of some Chocolate Cheerios that I had recently bought for my kids. This is totally understandable! However, I want to also put into perspective that with regards to a nutrition plan, it really should be about balance and creativity. Just because something is chocolate, doesn't mean it is high in sugar. Let's look at another product (that I particularly like) as another example...

SO Delicious brand CHOCOLATE (yes, I said chocolate!!!) coconut milk. Here is what's good about it: It is made with organic coconuts, it's dairy-free, the first item in the ingredient list is organic coconut milk, it has 5g of healthy fat (yes, some saturated fats have been proven to be a good thing!), it is really delicious, it has Jillian Michaels picture on it. Here is what's bad about it: It has 100 calories for a one cup serving, it only has one gram of protein and one gram of fiber, it has ten grams of sugar (THAT'S MORE THAN THE CHOCOLATE CHEERIOS). Do I recommend drinking a whole serving of this? The answer is 'no'. However, I would put a little splash of this in my coffee (yet another debatable part of my diet to be discussed another day). Here is another way that I would use this product...

For this smoothie, I used about a cup of fat free Greek yogurt, about a cup of frozen mixed berries, two tablespoons of milled chia seed for omega-3s, and about a third of a cup of the chocolate coconut milk. I am getting a large amount (over 20 grams) of protein, a huge amount of fiber (over 14 grams!), and so in this case, I think three grams of sugar that I am getting from the coconut milk is okay. That is how I would recommend using this product. Now, am I telling you to run out and buy this product? No. If you and your family are completely sugar-free without using artificial sweeteners, then this suggestion is not for you. You should be extremely proud of yourself! For the rest of us, in my unprofessional opinion (since I am not a registered dietitian), if we feel totally deprived, then it is eventually going to backfire on us AND our kids. The USDA recommends a daily diet containing less than 48 grams of ADDED sugar. That doesn't even include the sugar that exists naturally in fruit and milk. I recommend a whole lot less than that for long term results via your nutrition plan for life. Now, you could take the same exercise and apply it to salt, dairy products, fats, carbs, caffeine, alcohol, etc. The key is to find your Achilles heal and develop a creative strategy to deal with it. For some, abstinence is easier than moderation. For every one else, get creative and find a way to enjoy what you like in moderation.