Everyone knows that too much sugar is bad for you. It puts you at risk of diabetes, makes you gain weight, and can cause a number of health problems. Even if you are not a diabetic, or are gifted with a naturally fast metabolism, high sugar intake is just bad news. Let’s take a look at how much sugar you should be taking on a daily basis and what happens when you exceed this limit.
What’s the Daily Limit?
An average American tends to consume 17 teaspoons of sugar every day. This is significantly higher than the prescribed daily limit. According to the Dietary Guidelines set for the period 2015-2020, you must consume less than 12 teaspoons of sugar every day.
What is worrisome is that most of this sugar does not come from natural sources such as fruits. Instead, it is sourced from processed foods.
What Does Too Much Sugar Do?
Sugar has a number of side-effects on your body. Some of these are:
Unstable Blood Sugar Levels
Consuming confectionary items and carbonated beverages can make your blood sugar level unstable. This leads to mood swings, headaches, and tiredness. You will also have false food cravings which can cause you to consume more food. This results in weight gain.
Impairs Brain Function
Sugar slows down your brain and damages cognitive development. The mental fog you experience after consuming an excessive amount of sugar is one example of this. High sugar intake has also been shown to affect academic performance among children. Sugar can also put you at risk of depression and tension. Additionally, it has been found to be linked to dementia and has a negative impact on memory functions as well.
Affects Major Organs
Too much sugar is bad for your heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas, and brain. When you consume sugar, your pancreas must produce insulin to normalize your blood sugar levels. Overconsumption of sugar will cause your pancreas to work overtime and get damaged. It also affects your arteries and can cause stress to the heart. This can put you at risk of heart disease and heart attack.
Additionally, sugar causes an increase in your uric acid level. High levels of uric acid are major risk factors in kidney and heart disease.
Reduces Immunity
Sugar also has an effect on your immunity. As your blood sugar levels rise, bacteria and yeast are able to feed on this sugar. As a result, they grow in number and can cause infections.
Causes Diabetes
Too much sugar is directly linked with an increased risk of diabetes. This may be due to your body growing resistant to insulin. Obesity has also been known to cause diabetes.
To Sum It Up
A high-sugar intake can have long-term effects on your mental and physical health. If you often feel tired and low on energy, then this could be because you are consuming too much sugar and need to cut back.
If you’re seeking further advice on the recommended intake of sugar, we suggest you make an appointment with a physician at irvingprimarycare.com, visit https://www.healthonemedicine.com/or call (469)262-5762.