Sugar is one of the simple forms of carbohydrates which contains mono-saccharides, such as fructose (found in fruits) and galactose (found in milk products), and disaccharides (carbohydrates with two sugars), such as sucrose (table sugar) and lactose (from dairy). They occur naturally in some foods and drinks.
Many healthful food products, such as dairy products, vegetables, and fruit, naturally contain sugars. The sugar in these foods gives them a sweeter taste. It is important for people to include these foods in their diet, as they come with a range of other nutrients that provide valuable health benefits.
However, manufacturers tend to add sugar to foods such as cereals, cakes, some beverages, condiments and other processed or canned food products. From marinara sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. It is these added sugars, or free sugars, that experts says causes health problems.
The World Health Organization discourages the intake of these “free sugars”. WHO recommends less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars, which is for a person of healthy body weight consuming approximately 2000 calories per day, but ideally less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits. Considering the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the country, WHO recommends that children and women should consume less than 5% (roughly 25 grams per person a day) of free sugars in their diet.
Here are 10 reasons why we need to reduce the consumption of added sugars:
- Can Cause Weight Gain. According to the WHO, excessive sugar consumption is a key factor in promoting overweight and obesity. There is increasing concern that intake of free sugars – particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages – leading to excess overall energy intake. Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating. In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain. Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don’t.
- Lack of nutritional value. Sugar is an empty calorie. Adding it to foods and drinks significantly increases their calorie content without adding any nutritional benefit. The body usually digests these foods and drinks quickly. This means that they are not a good source of energy. Products that naturally contain sugar are different. For example, fruits and dairy products contain natural sugars. The body digests these foods at a slower rate, making them a lasting source of energy. Such products also tend to contain other nutrients. For example, they also contain fiber and a range of vitamins and minerals. Consuming empty calories undermines the health benefits of consuming other foods and drinks that do have nutritional value. It can also cause imbalances, where nutrient deficits can lead to further health complications.
- Heart disease. High-sugar diets may increase the risk of heart disease. The results of a 15-year study suggest that people with a lot of added sugar in their diet are significantly more likely to die from heart disease than people with minimal amounts of added sugar in their diet. Research suggests that sugary drinks may be particularly problematic for increasing the risk of heart disease. This association may be because sugary drinks are high in calories, do not affect hunger, and provide an insufficient amount of energy.
- Increases Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. There is a link between consuming sugary drinks and developing type 2 diabetes. It is not true that sugar causes diabetes. A high-calorie diet of any kind can lead to type 2 diabetes. However, in most cases, diets high in sugar, particularly, sugary beverages, are high in calories which usually leads to overweight and obesity. What’s more, prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise. A high-sugar diet, therefore, may lead to obesity and insulin resistance, both of which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
- May Increase Your Risk of Cancer. Eating excessive amounts of sugar may increase your risk of developing certain cancers. First, a diet rich in sugary foods and beverages can lead to obesity, which significantly raises your risk of cancer. Furthermore, diets high in sugar increase inflammation in your body and may cause insulin resistance, both of which increase cancer risk. A study in over 430,000 people found that added sugar consumption was positively associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, pleural cancer and cancer of the small intestine. Another study showed that women who consumed sweet buns and cookies more than three times per week were 1.42 times more likely to develop endometrial cancer than women who consumed these foods less than 0.5 times per week.
- May Increase Your Risk of Depression. While a healthy diet can help improve your mood, a diet high in added sugar and processed foods may increase your chances of developing depression. Consuming a lot of processed foods, including high-sugar products such as cakes and sugary drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of depression. Researchers believe that blood sugar swings, neurotransmitter dysregulation and inflammation may all be reasons for sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health.A study following 8,000 people for 22 years showed that men who consumed 67 grams or more of sugar per day were 23% more likely to develop depression than men who ate less than 40 grams per day. Another study in over 69,000 women demonstrated that those with the highest intakes of added sugars had a significantly greater risk of depression, compared to those with the lowest intakes.
- Can Lead to Fatty Liver. A high intake of fructose has been consistently linked to an increased risk of fatty liver. Unlike glucose and other types of sugar, which are taken up by many cells throughout the body, fructose is almost exclusively broken down by the liver. In the liver, fructose is converted into energy or stored as glycogen. However, the liver can only store so much glycogen before excess amounts are turned into fat. Large amounts of added sugar in the form of fructose overload your liver, leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition characterized by excessive fat buildup in the liver. A study in over 5,900 adults showed that people who drank sugar-sweetened beverages daily had a 56% higher risk of developing NAFLD, compared to people who did not.
- Negatively impact dental health. Sugar consumption can cause tooth decay, which may lead to the development of cavities. After eating sugar, bacteria in the mouth form a thin layer of plaque over the teeth. These bacteria react with the sugars present in foods and drinks. This reaction triggers the release of an acid that damages teeth. It is possible for the body to repair some of this damage itself. Over time, however, a diet high in sugar will cause lasting damage. This can lead to tooth cavities. Cavities are permeant holes that form on teeth. Dental diseases are the most prevalent noncommunicable diseases globally and, although great improvements in prevention and treatment of dental diseases have occurred in the past decades, problems still persist, causing pain, anxiety, functional limitation, including poor school attendance and performance in children, and social impediment through tooth loss.
- Increase the risk of developing gout and Kidney disease. Having consistently high blood sugar levels can cause damage to the delicate blood vessels in your kidneys. This can lead to an increased risk of kidney disease. High blood sugar also raises uric acid levels in the blood, increasing the risk of developing or worsening gout. Gout is an inflammatory condition characterized by pain in the joints due to the accumulation of sodium urates in the joints caused by high uric acid in the blood.
- Accelerate cognitive decline. High-sugar diets can lead to impaired memory and have been linked to an increased risk of dementia.
/AET
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