Sugar is a vital source of energy and is important for survival. However, added sugars found in processed foods must be avoided, but most of us are addicted to consuming too much sugar during the day.
According to the dietary guidelines, an average person consumes more than 15 teaspoons of added sugars daily, or 270 calories daily.
Furthermore, not all sugars are the same. Fructose in fruits and vegetables and lactose in dairy-rich foods are natural sugars that may contain fiber and calcium. These are good sources of glucose and less dangerous than added sugar.
Certain clues are body shows when we consume excess sugar.
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Increased hunger and weight gain: Eating a lot of calories through sugar increases our hunger, as it satisfies taste but does not fill our stomachs. According to doctors, if one eats too many processed foods, which lack basic nutrition, the body will burn through sugar quickly and ramp up hunger—leading to mindless and compulsive snacking. Additionally, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages may induce weight gain in adults and children.
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Digestion woes: If one suffers from persistent stomach-ache, cramps, or even diarrhoea, there may be many reasons to blame —one among them is eating too much sugar. Sugar is a known gut irritant and can lead to health conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, Crohn’s disease, or ulcerative colitis. Therefore, one must control consuming too much sugar.
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Fatigue: Since sugar is easily absorbed and digested, it can make us feel tired easily. It is a very quick energy source, regardless of how much we eat. However, it can make us extremely low energy in around half an hour.
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Increased sweet cravings: Sweets always mean you are addicted to sugar. According to experts, sugar targets your brain’s pleasure centre, a mesocorticolimbic pathway, triggering a rise in the so-called “happy hormone” dopamine. And so, the rise in dopamine increases sugar cravings, leading to a vicious cycle.
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Irritability: Excess sugar can make you moody, irritable, or even stressed. Studies have shown that eating added sugars promotes inflammation, causes mood swings, and can even lead to symptoms of depression. This happens because a high-sugar snack without protein and fat quickly spikes our blood sugar. As our body rushes to process all this extra sugar, our energy levels crash, making us feel sluggish and irritable.
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Causes joint pains: A high number of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have admitted food affected their symptoms – and soda and desserts were most commonly cited. Regularly consuming sugar-sweetened foods increases the risk of joint pains and inflammation.
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High blood pressure: Sugar is the biggest contributor to high blood pressure. Studies say consuming sugar-sweetened beverages significantly increases the incidence of hypertension. Sugar makes it easier for lipids like cholesterol to stick to the walls of the blood vessels, hardening them and leading to a rise in blood pressure levels.
Excessive sugar consumption is highly dangerous for our overall health; we must be aware of these seven signs and control our sugar consumption to prevent the risks of developing diseases. If we fail to control our sugar consumption, consulting a doctor can be helpful.
