Ever grabbed that extra slice of cake or added more sugar to your coffee? It’s tempting, but think about how it affects your body. Aussies might be shocked to hear Americans eat 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily, that’s 57 pounds a year1. The daily limit is much less: 6 teaspoons for women, 9 for men, and under 6 for kids1.
Too much sugar can cause serious health problems. It’s linked to obesity, diabetes, and even some cancers1. Americans get about 270 calories of added sugars daily, way over the 12 teaspoons limit2. The type of sugar matters too. High fructose corn syrup, found in many sweets, quickly raises blood sugar and can lead to insulin resistance1.
Eating too much sugar can cause headaches from blood sugar spikes1. It might also lead to skin problems due to high blood sugar and hormonal changes1. Over time, it can cause oxidative stress and aging1.
The effects of too much sugar are serious. It can increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis2. Those who consume a lot of sugar are twice as likely to die from heart disease2. It can also cause liver disease and increase heart disease risks2.
Key Takeaways
- The average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day, far exceeding the recommended daily limits.
- Excess sugar consumption is linked to various health issues, including obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, and liver damage.
- Consuming too much simple sugar can cause headaches, skin breakouts, and contribute to the aging process.
- People who eat a lot of added sugar are at a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and dying from heart disease.
- Large amounts of fructose consumption can lead to Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
The Negative Effects of Excess Sugar Consumption
Too much added sugar can cause health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Americans eat 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily, which is 270 calories3. This is 14% of what adults eat on a 2,000-calorie diet4. But, we should only eat less than 10% of our calories from added sugar4.
The World Health Organization says we should eat even less. They suggest no more than 5% of our daily calories from added sugar3. That’s about 6 teaspoons or 100 calories for a 2,000 calorie diet3.
High fructose corn syrup can make health worse. It makes us hungrier than glucose, leading to weight gain4. Obesity rates are rising, and sugary drinks are a big reason4.
Too much sugar can cause insulin resistance. This is a sign of type 2 diabetes and other diseases3. High sugar diets can lead to insulin resistance3.
Over 25,877 adults consuming more added sugar were found to have a greater risk of developing heart disease and coronary complications4.
High-sugar diets increase heart disease and stroke risk4. Eating 17-21% of daily calories from added sugar raises heart disease risk by 38%. This risk doubles for those eating 21% or more3.
Excess sugar can also cause inflammation. It raises cancer risk by causing obesity and insulin resistance4. Sugary drinks can increase cancer risk by 23-200%, especially for those with excess belly fat3.
In summary, too much added sugar can cause:
- Obesity
- Insulin resistance
- Type 2 diabetes
- Fatty liver disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of certain cancers
- Inflammation in the body
To stay healthy, limit added sugars and watch what you eat and drink.
Sugar’s Impact on Your Brain and Mood
Enjoying a sweet treat might feel good at first. But too much sugar can harm your brain and mood. It affects your mental health, including your mood and risk of depression.
The Dopamine Connection
Sugar makes your brain release dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good. This is why you might prefer sugary snacks over healthy ones. But, your brain needs more sugar to feel the same pleasure over time5.
When you eat sugar, your blood sugar goes up fast. This gives you a quick energy boost, or “sugar high.” But then, your blood sugar drops, causing you to feel jittery and anxious, or “sugar crash.” These changes can make you feel moody and irritable.
Increased Risk of Depression
Research shows that eating too much sugar can lead to depression6. Depression affects about 25% of people with diabetes6. Women with diabetes who have unstable blood sugar levels often feel unhappy and have a lower quality of life6.
Eating lots of refined carbs and added sugars can cause low blood sugar. This makes you feel tired, grumpy, and hard to focus. Long-term, eating too much sugar can harm your mental health6.
Drinking too much soda can make adults feel depressed5. Older adults who eat a lot of sugar may also have trouble thinking clearly5.
To feel better mentally, try eating more protein and fiber. Also, cut down on sweet drinks and refined carbs6.
How Sugar Affects Your Teeth and Joints
Sugar can harm your teeth and joints. It feeds bad bacteria in your mouth, causing cavities and tooth decay. It also makes joint pain and inflammation worse.
Cavity-Causing Bacteria
Bad bacteria in your mouth make acid when they eat sugar. This acid weakens your tooth enamel7. Dental plaque, made from bacteria eating sugar, makes your mouth acidic. This can destroy your enamel7.
Eating lots of sugary snacks can lead to cavities. Drinking sugary drinks often also increases the risk of tooth decay7.
Drinking sugary drinks can make cavities more likely. One study found a 31% higher risk with 1-2 sugary drinks daily7. Holding sugary drinks in your mouth for too long can also increase cavity risk7.
Sticky foods like candies and lollipops are bad for your teeth. They provide sugar for bacteria to eat, leading to tooth decay7.
Almost 25% of U.S. adults with diabetes aged 50 and older have severe tooth loss8. Dental cavities are a big problem for people with diabetes, besides gum disease8. Eating less sugar can help prevent tooth decay7.
Worsened Joint Pain and Inflammation
Sugar can lead to health problems like arthritis and inflammation9. Eating too much sugar can make your pancreas work too hard. This leads to more insulin and inflammation9.
If you have joint pain, eating sweets can make it worse. This is because sweets cause inflammation in your body.
Research suggests that eating a lot of sugar may increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Sugar triggers more insulin, which can make you hungrier and gain weight9. This extra weight can strain your joints, making pain and inflammation worse.
To keep your teeth and joints healthy, cut down on sugar and brush your teeth well. Regular dental visits can help prevent tooth decay7. Getting help from dental professionals and health coaches can also help you change your sugar habits9.
Sugar’s Role in Skin Aging
Sugar can make your skin age faster. It speeds up the “browning” reaction in our bodies. This causes collagen to cross-link and skin to stiffen10.
Too much sugar can harm your skin. It attaches to proteins and forms AGEs (advanced glycation end products)11. These molecules damage collagen and elastin, making your skin look old and wrinkly.
Glycation in the skin can make collagen repair harder. This leads to sagging and wrinkles11. Women often start seeing these effects around age 3512.
Many things can cause skin aging. UV exposure, sunlight, chemicals, pollutants, and smoking are some11.
To fight skin aging from sugar, you can do a few things:
- Reduce sugar intake, as US health guidelines suggest12.
- Drink lots of water and eat foods like cucumber, tomatoes, and watermelon to stay hydrated12.
- Eat foods high in Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) to help your skin12.
- Add foods rich in antioxidants like berries, leafy greens, and coffee to your diet12.
- Get enough sleep to prevent more wrinkles and improve skin tone12.
- Try a skin detox to boost collagen and elastin production12.
- Use products like Chocolate Mousse Hydration Masque and Rosehip & Lemongrass Lip Balm SPF 15 to fight aging12.
Keeping blood glucose levels balanced is key for healthy skin11. By controlling sugar intake and using good skincare, you can slow down skin aging. This helps keep your skin looking young and vibrant.
The Link Between high sugar Intake and Liver Damage
Too much sugar, like fructose or high fructose corn syrup, harms your liver. The liver tries to process fructose but can’t handle too much. This leads to liver fat, damage, and health risks13.
The government says to eat no more than 10 percent of daily calories as sugar13. But, eating 25 percent of daily calories as sugar doubles the risk of heart disease13. Sugar intake in America has gone up a lot in 30 years14.
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
High sugar diets can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This makes it hard for the body to break down fat, leading to heart disease risks13. NAFLD is common in kids and teens, which could lead to fatal liver disease in adults13.
Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH)
NAFLD can turn into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) if not treated. NASH has fatty liver, inflammation, and scarring. This can lead to cirrhosis and even liver transplant needs14.
Sugar can also cause fatty liver disease and liver inflammation14. Liver tumors are now linked to sugar, not just alcohol or infections14. In the US, 25,000 men and 11,000 women get liver cancer each year14.
To avoid liver damage, cut down on sugar. Eat less processed food and more real fruits and veggies13. This can lower liver cancer risk14.
Excess Sugar and Cardiovascular Health
Too much sugar in your diet makes your body produce extra insulin. This insulin can harm your arteries, causing them to become inflamed and stiff15. This stress on your heart can lead to heart disease, heart failure, and strokes16.
Studies show that cutting down on sugar can lower blood pressure. This is good for your heart16. People who eat a lot of added sugar are twice as likely to die from heart disease17.
Inflammation and Stiffening of Arteries
The American Heart Association linked sugar intake to heart health in 200915. Sugar in drinks can cause inflammation in your body17. This makes your arteries stiff, making it hard for blood to flow.
A study in 2006 found a link between sugar drinks and weight gain15. Being overweight can also harm your heart and increase blood pressure.
Increased Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
More sugar means a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. For every 5% increase in sugar intake, heart disease risk goes up 6% and stroke risk by 10%16. Even small increases in sugar can harm your heart over time.
| Added Sugar Intake (% of Daily Calories) | Risk of Dying from Heart Disease |
|---|---|
| Less than 10% | Baseline risk |
| 10-24% | 30% higher risk |
| 25% or more | 2 times higher risk |
Diabetes already raises your risk of heart disease and stroke. The American Heart Association says people with diabetes are twice as likely to have a stroke16. Too much sugar can make this risk even higher by causing insulin resistance.
To avoid heart problems, limit your sugar intake. The American Heart Association suggests no more than 6% of your daily calories should come from added sugar16. That’s about 6 teaspoons (24 grams) for a 2,000-calorie diet.
Sugar’s Impact on Diabetes Risk
Too much sugar can make your body resistant to insulin. This puts a lot of pressure on your pancreas. It also raises your chance of getting type 2 diabetes. About 537 million adults worldwide have diabetes, leading to 6.7 million deaths in 202118.
If things keep going like this, diabetes cases could hit 783 million by 204518.
Insulin Resistance and Pancreatic Strain
Your pancreas makes insulin when you eat. But too much sugar can make your body not use insulin right. This is called insulin resistance.
Your pancreas then has to work even harder. It makes more insulin. This can damage your pancreas over time. It might even lead to type 2 diabetes.
Research links sugar, especially fructose, to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes19. High-fructose corn syrup in drinks and sweets raises this risk even more19. The risk of diabetes goes up with sugar intake, especially in those who are normal weight18.
The American Heart Association says women should not have more than six teaspoons (25 grams) of sugar daily. Men should not have more than nine teaspoons (36 grams) to avoid diabetes19.
To lower your risk of type 2 diabetes, eat a balanced diet. Include fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. It’s key to watch your sugar intake but also focus on healthy eating19.
By eating mindfully and choosing the right foods, you can protect your pancreas. This helps lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.
The Connection Between Sugar and Kidney Damage
Too much sugar can harm your kidneys if you have diabetes. High blood sugar can damage many parts of your body, like your kidneys and heart20. In 2019, 463 million adults worldwide were diagnosed with diabetes21. In the US, 1 in 3 people with diabetes have kidney disease22.
Your kidneys filter your blood. But high blood sugar can make them release sugar into your urine20. If not controlled, diabetes can damage your kidneys, leading to kidney failure20. This can lead to needing dialysis or a kidney transplant22.
A healthy kidney has 1 million filtering units called glomeruli. Damage from diabetes and high blood pressure can harm these units22. Risk factors include high blood sugar, high blood pressure, smoking, and obesity22.
To find kidney damage early, a urine test is recommended once a year20. Medicines like ACE inhibitors can slow kidney damage in people with diabetes20. Eating right, limiting salt, and controlling cholesterol can also help protect your kidneys20.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about 10% of the world’s population. It’s more common in older people and those with diabetes and high blood pressure21.
To avoid kidney damage, manage your diabetes well and control your blood pressure22. Take medicines as directed and stay healthy22. Places like Mayo Clinic offer help for diabetic nephropathy22.
Sugar’s Influence on Weight Gain
Eating too much sugar can make you gain weight and become obese. The more sugar you eat, the more weight you gain. Studies show that eating more sugar is linked to weight gain23.
In the US, obesity rates have risen sharply. From 33.7% in 2008 to 70.7% in 2013-2014, it’s a big problem24.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Obesity
Sugar in drinks is a big reason for weight gain. A study of 30 studies found a strong link between sugary drinks and obesity25. Drinking sugary drinks can make you weigh more and increase your risk of type 2 diabetes25.
Children are especially affected by sugary drinks. Obesity in kids has jumped from 5% to 17% since 1963-196524. A study of 6,929 kids showed that those who ate more sugar had more body fat25.
Inflammation of Fat Cells
Too much sugar can make fat cells inflamed. This leads to more weight gain. It’s a cycle where you crave more sugar, leading to more weight gain.
One study found that adding more sugar to your diet can make you gain 1.7 pounds in less than 2 months.
Not all sugars are the same. High-fructose corn syrup in drinks is linked to obesity24. Kids on high-fructose diets had changes in their gut and metabolic problems, even without gaining weight24.
To stay healthy, cut down on added sugars, especially in drinks. The average American eats 20 teaspoons of sugar daily, way more than recommended23. Reducing sugar can help you keep a healthy weight.
Conclusion
Too much sugar is bad for your health. It can lead to serious diseases. The World Health Organization says non-communicable diseases cause most deaths worldwide. These diseases, like obesity and heart disease, are linked to too much sugar26.
High sugar intake also adds to the cost of health problems in poor countries26. It can even lead to more medicines and death in people with kidney disease26.
To keep your blood sugar healthy, follow the recommended sugar intake. The American Heart Association says women should not have more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar daily. Men should not have more than 9 teaspoons (38 grams). Kids aged 2 to 18 should have less than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily27.
Eating a balanced diet with whole foods and less sugar can help. It keeps your blood sugar in check and lowers disease risk2728.
Healthy habits are key to managing blood sugar. These include regular exercise, enough sleep, and controlling portions. Eating at the same times each day and managing stress also help28.
By choosing healthy foods and adopting these habits, you can improve your health. This reduces the harm of too much sugar.