Not-So-Sweet Ways Sugar Harms Your Body
Americans consume roughly 14% of their daily calories from added sugar. This adds up to 270 calories.
Consuming too much sugar can also contribute to long-term health problems.
Consuming too much sugar can also contribute to long-term health problems.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most Americans consume roughly 14% of their daily calories from added sugar. (1) This adds up to 270 calories. Most of this consumption comes from highly processed foods that are filled with refined ingredients and devoid of any real ingredients.
But let’s make a few things clear regarding sugar and its reputation for health. Sugar is found naturally in foods like fruits and vegetables, grain, and dairy. By consuming these foods, you’re consuming whole foods with fiber, antioxidants, protein, and essential vitamins in minerals that along with their natural sugars, provide energy to cells.
Problems arise when we start introducing foods into our diet with added sugars. Food manufacturers add sugar to processed goods to increase shelf life and help sweeten them.
Additionally, when it comes to health trends, food manufactures will increase added sugar in packaged items labeled “low fat” to make up for the flavor lost in reducing fat. Processed foods that are low fat but high sugar are no more healthy.
How Sugar Harms Your Body
InflammationInflammation is a normal response to injury or infection. This response activates the immune system’s natural repair process to fight off foreign invaders such as chemicals or microbes that our body doesn’t recognize. (2)
However, lifestyle factors such as consuming too much sugar can cause chronic inflammation, increasing the body’s sensitivity, and accelerating the inflammatory disease process.
The long-term effects of inflammation can result in damage to our cells and an over-worked immune system. Common inflammatory diseases include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and dementia (to name a few)
CancerCancer cells multiply and grow quickly, and this takes a lot of energy to do so. They need glucose to fuel this growth. The risk of cancer isn’t just necessarily related to sugar intake in excess but rather how the body responds to sugar. High-sugar foods, especially when eaten by themselves, spikes blood sugars and increased the release of insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Studies have shown that IGF helps cancer grow. (3)
An excess of sugar, in general, can cause other health-related issues such as inflammation and obesity which can influence the risk of cancer.
Fatty Liver DiseaseYou might think liver disease is only caused by alcohol. However, there is such thing as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and unfortunately, it’s on the rise in the United States. Research shows that drinking as little as one sweetened beverage a day will increase your risk of developing NAFLD. (4) Studies have also shown that NAFLD is present in 17 percent to 33 percent of Americans. (5)
To simplify, increased consumption of added sugar in the diet increases fat buildup around all essential organs, including the liver.
DiabetesDiabetes is a disease that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin (or any at all) causing a disruption in the function of the body’s ability to get sugar from the blood into the cells. This disruption leads to high blood sugar levels.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to other long-term health problems such as acne, dental problems, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and aging skin (too name a few)
Symptoms You Might Be Eating Too Much Sugar: What To Look For
Here are some signs that you’re eating too much sugar:
1. You’re experiencing digestive Issues/bloating2. You’re breaking out (Acne)
3. You’re moody/irritable
4. You are having trouble sleeping/staying asleep
5. You find yourself craving sugar in the evening
6. You have joint pain
7. You’re struggling with weight gain
Final Thoughts + How to Decrease Sugar Intake
Be mindful that added sugars aren’t in full disguise. You can look for hidden sugars that end in “ose” in the ingredients on packaged foods. Limit your consumption of packaged, processed foods that are full of added sugars, and don’t be fooled by health claims that food manufacturers plaster on the packaging!
Eating high-quality protein, and fiber-rich foods can help you lose your sugar cravings over time.
NEW PATIENT SPECIAL
Recommended FOR YOU
12 Conditions That Respond Well To Chiropractic
7 Reasons Why Chiropractic Care Benefits Infants
Beet Hummus Recipe
Chiropractic Vs. Physical Therapy:
The Lowdown
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Chiropractic
Not-So-Sweet Ways Sugar Harms Your Body
Americans consume roughly 14% of their daily calories from added sugar. This adds up to 270 calories. Consuming too much sugar can also contribute to long-term health problems.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most Americans consume roughly 14% of their daily calories from added sugar. (1) This adds up to 270 calories. Most of this consumption comes from highly processed foods that are filled with refined ingredients and devoid of any real ingredients.
But let’s make a few things clear regarding sugar and its reputation for health. Sugar is found naturally in foods like fruits and vegetables, grain, and dairy. By consuming these foods, you’re consuming whole foods with fiber, antioxidants, protein, and essential vitamins in minerals that along with their natural sugars, provide energy to cells.
Problems arise when we start introducing foods into our diet with added sugars. Food manufacturers add sugar to processed goods to increase shelf life and help sweeten them.
Additionally, when it comes to health trends, food manufactures will increase added sugar in packaged items labeled “low fat” to make up for the flavor lost in reducing fat. Processed foods that are low fat but high sugar are no more healthy.
How Sugar Harms Your Body
InflammationInflammation is a normal response to injury or infection. This response activates the immune system’s natural repair process to fight off foreign invaders such as chemicals or microbes that our body doesn’t recognize. (2)
However, lifestyle factors such as consuming too much sugar can cause chronic inflammation, increasing the body’s sensitivity, and accelerating the inflammatory disease process.
The long-term effects of inflammation can result in damage to our cells and an over-worked immune system. Common inflammatory diseases include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and dementia (to name a few)
CancerCancer cells multiply and grow quickly, and this takes a lot of energy to do so. They need glucose to fuel this growth. The risk of cancer isn’t just necessarily related to sugar intake in excess but rather how the body responds to sugar. High-sugar foods, especially when eaten by themselves, spikes blood sugars and increased the release of insulin-like growth factor (IGF). Studies have shown that IGF helps cancer grow. (3)
An excess of sugar, in general, can cause other health-related issues such as inflammation and obesity which can influence the risk of cancer.
Fatty Liver DiseaseYou might think liver disease is only caused by alcohol. However, there is such thing as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and unfortunately, it’s on the rise in the United States. Research shows that drinking as little as one sweetened beverage a day will increase your risk of developing NAFLD. (4) Studies have also shown that NAFLD is present in 17 percent to 33 percent of Americans. (5)
To simplify, increased consumption of added sugar in the diet increases fat buildup around all essential organs, including the liver.
DiabetesDiabetes is a disease that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin (or any at all) causing a disruption in the function of the body’s ability to get sugar from the blood into the cells. This disruption leads to high blood sugar levels.
Consuming too much sugar can lead to other long-term health problems such as acne, dental problems, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and aging skin (too name a few)
Symptoms You Might Be Eating Too Much Sugar: What To Look For
Here are some signs that you’re eating too much sugar:
1. You’re experiencing digestive Issues/bloating2. You’re breaking out (Acne)
3. You’re moody/irritable
4. You are having trouble sleeping/staying asleep
5. You find yourself craving sugar in the evening
6. You have joint pain
7. You’re struggling with weight gain
Final Thoughts + How to Decrease Sugar Intake
Be mindful that added sugars aren’t in full disguise. You can look for hidden sugars that end in “ose” in the ingredients on packaged foods. Limit your consumption of packaged, processed foods that are full of added sugars, and don’t be fooled by health claims that food manufacturers plaster on the packaging!
Eating high-quality protein, and fiber-rich foods can help you lose your sugar cravings over time.