Most people have a really vague idea on how added sugar impairs health, and often have a hard time consuming less of the so-called white death.
In today’s post, one of our internal medicine physicians Dr. Tatyana S. Borisiak, gives you a brief overview of the major dangers related to sugar consumption.
10 awful consequences of eating too much sugar
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends men to eat no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or about 150 kilocalories) of added sugar, and ladies to limit themselves to 6 teaspoons (25 grams or roughly 100 kilocalories).
Can you guess how much sugar the average American eats per day?
Well, according to the American ODPHP, the average American consumes about 17 teaspoons of added sugar every day. That’s almost double the recommended dose in men—and more than thrice the daily limit for women!
Let’s take a look at 5 reasons why that’s a bad thing for your health.
Sugar promotes tooth decay and increases the risk of developing dental cavities
Sugar is a fabulous food for the bacteria that live in the mouth. When these bacteria digest sugar, they produce acid that damages the dental enamel and leads to the development of cavities.
Excessive sugar consumption leads to excess weight and obesity
In turn, these conditions severely impair anyone’s quality of life and boost the risk of developing a wide range of dangerous diseases.
Sugar consumption has been linked to diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease
With sugar, it’s easy to eat too much—going overboard one’s recommended daily calorie intake. In turn, high-calorie diets were consistently linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Talk about bad things coming in bundles.
Sugar intake may increase cancer risk
Studies suggest that high sugar intake could increase the risk of developing cancer, mainly by elevating the oxidative stress in the body, promoting inflammation, and disrupting the function of different hormones starting with insulin.
May increase depression risk
Some studies reported that there seems to be a link between one’s consumption of sweetened beverages and the risk of developing depression. By the way, drinking tea or coffee without any sweeteners was associated with a lower depression risk!
Make an appointment with your internal medicine expert
So, now that you know that sugar may lead to quite a few detrimental consequences for your health, how can you cut your consumption of this sweet problem?
For starters, make an appointment with your primary care physician or internal medicine expert to discuss the details with him or her. That’s the easiest and most effective way of coming up with a good nutritional strategy for your specific case.
Additionally, consider trying out the following tips:
- Find an artificial sweetener that you could use instead of sugar. Most of the modern options are safe and really tasty!
- Eat enough fruit and vegetables every day, the vitamins and antioxidants in them will help you stay clear of sugar cravings
- Engage in pleasant activities, sports, and hobbies to give your body new sources of dopamine (one of the so-called ”feel-good” chemicals) instead of sugar
For more information and a personalized approach, make an appointment with one of our experts—and start leading a healthier life today!