Paul van der Velpen says sugar is a drug, just like alcohol and tobacco, and can be as addictive as smoking. He says it should be "tightly regulated."
Added sugars are linked to obesity and diabetes, which is why van der Velpen says sweetened products should come with a cigarette pack-like warning that "sugar is addictive and bad for the health."
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average American man consumes 335 calories in added sugars. That's 13 percent of his recommended daily calories. Women get an average of 11 percent of their recommended daily calories from sugars added to processed foods and sweet treats like sodas, chocolates and ice creams.
