Just one can of pop puts you over the daily recommended amount of added sugar, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

In a release Tuesday, the HSF says unhealthy diets are putting Canadians at risk of stroke, high blood cholesterol, cancer and other serious illnesses. The group goes so far as to recommend a tax on sugary beverages to curb consumption.

Research shows that Canadians get about 13 per cent of their calories from “free” sugars -- the sweeteners added to food and drink, as opposed to those naturally occurring in milk, fruit, vegetables and other foods. The HSF says ideally only five per cent of a person’s diet should consist of these sugars, and that 10 per cent should be considered a maximum.

“The bottom line is that Canadians are eating too much added sugar, and this can result in serious health consequences,” said Bobbe Wood, president of the foundation, in a press release.

Ten per cent of a 2,000-calorie diet would be about 48 grams of sugar -- slightly more than the average can of pop or sweetened beverage.

Sweetened beverages, the group says, are the biggest contributors of sugar in the diet. According to their statement, 180,000 deaths worldwide can be attributed to sugar-sweetened drinks each year.

The group’s statement comes with a series of recommendations for Canadians looking to limit their sugar intake, including:

• Preparing meals using fresh and staple foods

• Limiting eating out at restaurants and consumption of ready-to-eat food and drink products

• Buying fresh or frozen fruit, or fruit canned in water without artificial sweeteners

• Reducing the amount of sugar used during preparation of food and in recipes

The group also wants government to take a role in limiting the amount of sugar Canadians consume, suggesting a restriction on marketing towards children, and a tax on high-sugar beverages. A tax of five cents per 100 mL on sugary drinks would raise $1.8 billion per year in revenue, the group says, which could be used to subsidize fruits and vegetables.

“We want Canadians to focus on reducing added sugars, not the sugar that occurs naturally in vegetables, fruit and other foods that are also packed with nutrients such as vitamins and fibre,” said Wood. “You cannot compare those healthy choices to a can of pop that is loaded with sugar and has no health benefits – just health risks”