Sugar is a beloved ingredient around the United States, but Utah's sugar culture has its unique quirks.
Once dubbed the sweet tooth capital of the country in a 2015 Hershey study, Utah is known for trends like the dirty soda shops and gourmet cookies.
Sugary treats are hard to avoid at BYU whether it’s free giveaways at the Wilkinson Center or the abundance of vending machines.
“I think it is hard to avoid it,” Romey Loveridge, a freshman at BYU, said.
Kaden Winn, a student at BYU, said he thinks sugar consumption in Utah is a little extreme.
A 2023 National Institutes of Health study found that the average Utah adult over the age of 18 consumed an average of 17.1 teaspoons of added sugar per day in 2010 and 2015, just slightly above the national average of 17.0.
Gene Ahlborn, a BYU food science professor, said Utah’s high population of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abstain from alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances.
“We tend to replace those types of substances with an overconsumption of sugary foods, desserts and whatnot,” Ahlborn said.
He says too much sugar can lead to harmful effects.
Over consuming can disrupt the body’s ability to regulate appetite properly because it causes an imbalance.
Ahlborn gave a suggestion for the best way BYU students can moderate sugar consumption.
“Before you go for the sweet treats, make sure you eat something healthy i.e meaning fruits and vegetables," Ahlborn said.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that individuals two and older should keep added sugars to less than 10 percent of their total daily calories.