Sugar has a questionable reputation when it comes to our health. Sugar occurs naturally
in all carbohydrate-containing foods, such as fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy.
It is okay to consume complete foods that include natural sugar. Since your body breaks
down these foods slowly, sugar gives your cells a steady energy supply. Eating fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains can lower your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes,
heart disease, and several types of cancer.
However, when you consume too much added sugar or sugar added to foods by producers
to enhance flavor or lengthen shelf life, you put your health at significant risk for illness.
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You may be asking yourself, how does sugar affect the body?
Let's start by understanding how much sugar is excessive for us.
Though sugar has a bad reputation, it gives us energy and is vital to our survival.
Sugars in fruits and vegetables are natural sugars we don't have to worry
as much about because these foods also have fiber and calcium. Most of us consume
excessive amounts of added sugar, which is frequently present in processed meals.
The average American eats 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day, which is around 300 calories.
Men should not eat more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day. In comparison,
women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons per day. Think about the fact that one 12-ounce can of
soda has about 8 teaspoons of added sugar! There goes all of your daily allowance in one gulp.
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Now let’s delve into the dangers of consuming sugar.
No matter what you call it, sugar is always sugar.
Consuming too much sugar can have adverse effects on your health.
Its effects on the brain
When you eat sugar, your brain makes a lot of dopamine, which makes you feel good.
That's why, at 3 p.m., you might want a candy bar more than a radish or a carrot.
Because entire meals, such as fruits and vegetables, do not create as much dopamine
in the brain, the brain requires more and more sugar to achieve the same level of pleasure.
You’ll feel more compelled to have ice cream after supper, which is difficult to resist.
A candy or cookie now and then can give you a quick boost of energy,
otherwise known as a “sugar high,” because they quickly raise your blood sugar levels.
When your levels drop after your cells take in the sugar,
you may feel jittery and anxious, known as a “sugar crash” which can cause discomfort.
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A “sweet tooth” can cause tooth decay.
When you were 12 years old, your parents likely made you roll your eyes, but they were correct:
confectionery treats can cause tooth decay. The development
of cavities is from bacteria that feed on sugar left in the mouth.
Dentists say that sugar is the leading cause of cavities. Even if you brush
your teeth after every sweet thing you eat, you could still damage your teeth.
Your joints will suffer too.
Another reason not to eat candy if you have joint pain: eating a lot of sweets makes
joint pain worse because they cause inflammation in the body. Also,
research shows that eating or drinking sugar can make you more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis.
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The more sugar you consume, the more your body ages.
When you have too much sugar in your blood, it binds to proteins and makes harmful
molecules called "AGEs," which stands for "advanced glycation end products."
Just like they sound, these molecules cause your skin to age.
They hurt the collagen and elastin in your skin, which keeps your skin firm and young.
Your liver will feel the effects of sugar.
Fructose or high fructose corn syrup is likely in foods with a lot of added
sugar. The liver breaks down fructose, and too much of it can hurt the liver, leading
to Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition in which the liver has too much fat.
A study of about 6,000 adults showed that people who drank sugary drinks
every day were 60% more likely to get NAFLD than those who didn't.
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Sugar can break your heart.
Well, not literally, but when you eat or drink too much sugar, the extra insulin in your blood
can affect your arteries all over your body. It makes their walls swell up and get thicker and
stiffer than usual, causing heart disease, heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke.
Also, research shows that cutting back on sugar can help lower blood pressure,
which is a major risk factor for heart disease. In addition, those who consume at least 25%
of their calories from added sugar are twice as likely to die from heart-related disease,
compared to those who consume less than 10% of their calories from added sugar.
Looking at the kidneys and nephrons.
Having too much sugar can hurt your kidneys. The kidneys are vital in keeping your blood clean.
When your blood sugar reaches a certain level, your kidneys start to get rid of the extra sugar
by putting it in your urine. If you don't take care of your diabetes, it can hurt your kidneys
and stop them from filtering out waste from your blood, and this can cause the kidneys to fail.
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Weight gain from sugar.
You probably already know that the more sugar you eat, the more weight you'll gain. People who drink
sugary drinks tend to be heavier and have a higher chance of getting type 2 diabetes than those who
don't. One study even found that people who ate more sugar gained about 2 pounds in less than 2
months. Too much sugar can make fat cells swell up and release chemicals that make you gain weight.
Sugar will cause you stress.
If you are consuming too much sugar, you may feel more edgy, short-tempered, and prone to mood
swings. Eating added sugar can cause inflammation, make moods worse, and cause depression symptoms.
A high-sugar meal or snack without protein and fat quickly raises your blood sugar. Still, as your
body rushes to process all of it, your energy levels drop, making you feel tired and irritable.
Sweets and Sexual health.
A high-sugar meal without protein and fat elevates
your blood sugar rapidly. Still, as your body races to metabolize it,
your energy levels decrease, leaving you feeling tired and angry. Your romantic
relationships will suffer due to your irritability and exhaustion.
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Even though it's not possible to avoid all added sugars, it's a good idea to read labels,
focus as much as possible on whole, unprocessed foods, and choose healthier foods.
Let’s keep the conversation going with a couple more Sugar-related videos,
shall we? Here’s what you need to know…
Watch “8 Warning Signs That You Are Eating Too Much Sugar.”
Or “ 13 Blood Sugar Friendly Foods?”
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet,
watch both and learn more about how you can control your blood sugar through your diet.
Are you planning to change your diet? Let us know in the comments below…