From bread to sauces to spreads, added sugar is found in even some of the most unexpected products.
Processed foods, which many people rely on for quick easy meals, often contain added sugar. This means they take up a much larger proportion of your daily calorie intake.
Experts believe that sugar consumption is a major cause of obesity and many chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.
Heres 8 reasons why too much sugar is terrible for your health.
1. Weight Gain
Rates of obesity are rising worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits.
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices, and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar that not only increases the numbers on the
scale but an unwanted health condition called “fatty liver”.
Sugary beverages often make you MORE hungry. How does this
happen? After eating or drinking sugary foods, your blood sugar increases
causing more insulin to be secreted by your pancreas. Shortly thereafter your
blood sugar then plummets making you MORE HUNGRY!!! Thus making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is also linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease.
2. May Increase Your Risk of Depression
While a healthy diet can help improve your mood, a diet high in added sugar and processed foods may increase your chances of developing depression.
Consuming a lot of processed foods, including high-sugar products such as cakes and sugary drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of depression*.
We’ve all felt those “blahs” after eating a pizza or ice cream or the “brain-fog”
after the donut for breakfast. Researchers are now learning that drastic
changes in blood sugar (like what happens after eating a sugary yummy) may
lead to abnormal regulation of neurotransmitters and inflammation and this is
why we aren’t just seeing “a wee bit of brain fog”, we are seeing sugar’s
detrimental impact on mental health*. To note, a study following 8,000 people for 22 years showed that men who consumed 67 grams or more of sugar per day were 23% more likely to develop depression than men who ate less than 40 grams per day. 40 grams of sugar is equal to about 10 teaspoons of
sugar… sounds like a lot but remember a 12 oz can of regular coke has 39
grams of sugar in it!
3. Drains You of Your Energy
Foods high in added sugar quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, leading to increased energy.
However, this rise in energy levels is fleeting.
Products that are loaded with sugar but lacking in protein, fiber, or fat lead to a brief energy boost that’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, often referred to as a crash*.
Having constant blood sugar swings can lead to major fluctuations in energy levels*. To avoid this energy-draining cycle, choose carb sources that are low in added sugar and rich in fiber, fat, or protein to prevent the crash. Pairing carbs with protein or fat is another great way to keep your blood sugar and energy levels stable.
For example, eating an apple along with a small handful of almonds is an excellent snack for prolonged, consistent energy levels.
4. Has Been Linked to Acne
A diet high in refined carbs, including sugary foods and drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of developing acne.
Foods with a high glycemic index, such as processed sweets, raise your blood sugar more rapidly than foods with a lower glycemic index.
Studies have shown that low-glycemic diets are associated with a reduced acne risk, while high-glycemic diets are linked to a greater risk*.
For example, a study in 2,300 teens demonstrated that those who frequently consumed added sugar had a 30% greater risk of developing acne*.
Also, many population studies have shown that rural communities that consume traditional, non-processed foods have almost non-existent rates of acne, compared to more urban, high-income areas.
5. Increases Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 30 years*.
Though there are many reasons for this, there is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk.
Obesity, which is believed by many scientists to be at least partially caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes*.
What’s more, prolonged high-sugar consumption in at-risk individuals drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels.
Insulin resistance often accompanies elevated blood sugar levels rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes.
A population study comprising over 175 countries found that the risk of developing diabetes grew by 1.1% for every 150 calories of sugar, or about one can of soda, consumed per day*.
6. Can Accelerate your Skin Aging
Wrinkles are a natural sign of aging. They appear eventually, regardless of your health.
However, poor food choices may worsen wrinkles and speed the skin aging process.
Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are compounds formed by reactions between sugar and protein in your body. They are suspected to play a key role in skin aging*.
Consuming a diet high in refined carbs and sugar leads to the production of AGEs, which may cause your skin to age prematurely. AGEs damage collagen and elastin, which are proteins that help the skin stretch and keep its youthful appearance.
When collagen and elastin become damaged, the skin loses its firmness and begins to sag.
In one study, women who consumed more carbs, including added sugars, had a more wrinkled appearance than women on a high-protein, lower-carb diet*. The researchers concluded that a lower intake of carbs was associated with better skin-aging appearance.
7. Your Mood
We've talked about increased rates of depression and a lack of energy. So it makes sense that sugar can affect your mood.In healthy young people, the ability to process emotion is compromised with elevated blood glucose, according to a brain imaging study. Have you noticed that your mood
changes after eating sugary foods? What about your children?
Another study published in Diabetes Care* found that people with type 2 diabetes reported increased feelings of sadness and anxiety during acute hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar).
One of the largest studies to link sugar with depression—an analysis of dietary consumption and mood of 23,245 individuals enrolled in the Whitehall II study—found higher rates of sugar consumption was associated with a greater incidence of depression.
8. Tooth Decay
It's obvious yet thought about until the dentist bill shows up!. Everyone knows bacteria in the mouth loves sugar, sweets, candy, and soda, but did you know any starch can start this off? Starches like bread, potatoes, rice, cereal, and even porridge are a tasty treat for mouth bacteria!. The acid in the soda and juice is a double whammy for the teeth as the acids break down the enamel. Dental decay and tooth removal is the number one reason for hospital admissions among children.
Think about all the dentist bills you could save on if you just cut out sugar!
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19880930, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24743309, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3903110/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2768570/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4551584/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17448569, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22070422,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21705069, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4166864/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3584048/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583887/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28420091, http://www.doi.org/10.2337/diacare.27.10.2335, https://www.verywellmind.com/is-there-a-blood-test-for-depression 1066915, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/13/teeth-problems-children-hospital-decay-extractions
