The one ingredient common in almost all the products is sugar. Sugar is an integral part of our diet. We add sugar to almost every food we make. During our festivals sugar is a key ingredient in our sweets. While sugar does enhance the taste of every food and it does have some benefits, it is important not to consume too much of it.
Eating excess amounts of sugar can lead to weight gain, acne, type 2 diabetes, and can increase your risk of several serious medical conditions. In this blog, we will understand how much sugar much sugar is too what happens if you eat too much sugar.
How Much Sugar is Too Much?
According to the new guidelines by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) recommends 5% of total energy intake from added sugar, with a maximum of 10% from all sugars for solid foods and 10% of energy intake from added sugar and a maximum of 30% from total sugars for beverages.
According to the American Heart Association, an average woman should not consume more than 6 teaspoons or 25g of sugar and an average man should not consume more than 9 teaspoons or 36g of sugar per day (1).
To put things into context about 39 grams, or about 10 teaspoons, of sugar, can be found in one can of soda.
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) also recommends eliminating sugar completely for people who are obese or addicted to sugar.
How to Look for Sugar in Processed Foods?
To limit or eliminate sugar from your diet it is important to identify sugar provided by many products that we consume every day. It is not rocket science or that you must go with the calculator to calculate total sugar, but you must read the nutritional label carefully to know the sugar content in the product.
Here are some tips to make an informed choice about sugar:
- Sugar has many names including sucrose, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dehydrated cane juice, fructose, glucose, dextrose, syrup, cane sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, and more.
- Check if the packaged food contains sugar in the first 3 ingredients or more than one type of sugar, consider avoiding it.
- Even foods labeled healthy foods can have high sugar. Check for honey, organic cane sugar, and coconut sugar.
Here are some Symptoms of too much Sugar in Your Body
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Causes Weight Gain
Sugar is very calorie dense. Consuming foods and drinks high in added sugars can quickly increase your overall calorie intake without providing much satiety. Excessive calorie intake leads to weight gain over time. High sugar intake also disrupts the hormonal regulation of appetite, leading to increased hunger and cravings. This can result in overeating and further weight gain.
Research suggests that consuming sugary foods regularly leads to weight gain and type-2 diabetes (2). It is best to limit the consumption of sugar rich foods and beverages.
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Increases the Risk of Heart Disease
As mentioned earlier, consuming excess sugar can lead to weight gain and obesity. Obesity is a significant risk factor for heart disease, as it is associated with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and insulin resistance.
Diets high in sugar, especially added sugars and sugary beverages, can lead to unfavorable changes in blood lipid levels. High sugar intake can increase triglyceride levels and decrease levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
One study done on 25877 people found that those who consumed more added sugar had a greater risk of developing heart disease and coronary complications compared to individuals who consumed less added sugar.
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Increases the Risk of Type 2 Diabete
India is known as the diabetic capital of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 77 million people over 18 suffering from type-2 diabetes. Consumption of excess sugar is the primary reason for the rise in type-2 diabetes.
Obesity caused by excess sugar intake is strongly linked to diabetes (4). Excessive sugar consumption can contribute to the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Multiple studies have also found that people who consume sugary beverages regularly are more prone to develop type-2 diabetes.
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Increases the risk of Cancer
Excess sugar consumption is a significant contributor to weight gain and obesity. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of several types of cancer, including colorectal, breast (postmenopausal), endometrial, kidney, pancreatic, and esophageal cancers.
High sugar intake can lead to increased production of reactive oxygen species, which can cause oxidative stress and damage to DNA, potentially increasing the risk of cancer development.
A study conducted over 9 years found that people who increased sugar consumption were associated with a greater risk of prostate cancer (5).
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Increases the Risk of Depression
Just like a healthy diet can improve your mood, a diet high in sugar can adversely affect your mood. Research suggests that prolonged systemic inflammation, insulin resistance, and altered dopamine reward system conditions often associated with excessive sugar intake may play a role in the negative effects of sugar on mental health.
A scientific study found that people who consumed 67 grams or more of sugar per day were 23% more likely to develop depression than people who ate less than 40 grams per day (6).
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Can Cause Fatty Live
When you consume excess sugar, particularly fructose, the liver converts it into triglycerides. High levels of circulating triglycerides can lead to fat accumulation in the liver, contributing to fatty liver disease.
Excess sugar consumption can stimulate a process called de novo lipogenesis, where the liver converts excess carbohydrates into fatty acids. These fatty acids are then stored as triglycerides in the liver, leading to fatty liver disease.
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Increases the Speed of Ageing
Wrinkles and fine lines at a young age are the symptoms of too much sugar in your body. Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs) are compounds generated from the interaction between sugar and proteins within the body. They are thought to be significant contributors to the aging process of the skin. AGEs damage collagen and elastin, proteins responsible for maintaining the skin’s elasticity and youthful appearance, the skin starts to lose its firmness and may sag (7).
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Reduces Energy Levels
This may sound strange, especially since sugary drinks are consumed to get a quick burst of energy. But these drinks lack protein, fiber, or fat leading to a brief energy boost that’s quickly followed by a sharp drop in blood sugar, often referred to as a crash.
A study found that carbohydrate consumption, especially sugar, lowers alertness within 60 minutes of consumption, and increases fatigue within 30 minutes after consumption.
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Causes Skin Acne
High sugar intake can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, which triggers insulin release. Elevated insulin levels may stimulate the production of androgen hormones such as testosterone, which can increase sebum (oil) production in the skin. Excess sebum production can clog pores and contribute to the development of acne.
A study found that low-glycemic diets are associated with a reduced acne risk, while high-glycemic diets are linked to a higher acne risk (8).
Diets high in sugar have been linked to increased levels of inflammatory markers in the body. Chronic inflammation can exacerbate acne by triggering the production of inflammatory cytokines, which can worsen the inflammatory response in the skin and lead to the formation of acne lesions.
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Can Lead to Poor Sleep
Consuming a high amount of sugar, especially before bedtime, can lead to rapid spikes and subsequent drops in blood sugar levels. These fluctuations can disrupt sleep by causing awakenings during the night or reducing the overall quality of sleep.
Diets high in sugar may disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythms, which regulate the sleep-wake cycle. For example, consuming sugary snacks or beverages close to bedtime can stimulate the brain and interfere with the natural wind-down process, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
Conclusion
Reducing sugar intake can lead to weight loss, improved dental health, stabilized blood sugar levels, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, clearer skin, enhanced energy levels, improved mood, better sleep quality, and decreased risk of chronic diseases associated with inflammation.
It is impossible to completely eliminate sugar from our diet. But we must control the amount we consume each day. It is important to stick to the recommended amount and not exceed it. Try to find an alternative to sugary beverages like natural fruit juice or drinks with no added sugar. Gradually reduce sugar intake to allow taste buds to adjust.
FAQs
1. How much sugar is too much in a day?
On an average women should not consume more than 25g of sugar per day and men should not consume more than 36g of sugar per day.
2. What to eat instead of sugar?
Eat fruits, nuts, rice cake, stevia and yogurt instead of sugar.
3. What foods remove sugar?
Although no foods can directly remove sugar from the body. Foods like nuts, seeds, legumes beans and fish help to control sugar cravings.
4. What food has no sugar?
Vegetables, eggs, meat and beans have no sugar.
