It is recommended that an adult female should have no more that 6 teaspoons of sugar per day. To help you picture what that means:
- A tablespoon of tomato sauce contains 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- 200 ml of juice averages out at 5 teaspoons of sugar
- 600 ml of soft drink is about 15 teaspoons of sugar.
So you can see that the amount of sugar you consume can add up very quickly if you are not careful.
According to a study done in 2012 the average Australian adult consumes about 14 teaspoons of sugar per day. That is more than double the recommended amount.
But I hear you asking, "So what is the big deal? What is wrong with eating a lot of sugar? "
1. To much sugar increases weight.
Sugar contains empty calories. What this means is that there are no nutrients in sugar. There is nothing your body can use to nourish its self, or help it work correctly. But sugar still contains calories. These calories either displace nutritious food or they get added on top and are stored as fat, therefore increasing weight.
2. Tooth decay
The bacteria in your mouth use sugar in the foods you eat to make acids, which sit on your teeth and damage the tooth enamel.
3. Eating sugar increases sugar cravings.
Sugar is addictive. When you eat sugary food, your body releases insulin, so that the sugar can be quickly absorbed. So your insulin levels go up. But once it is absorbed, your insulin levels drop dramatically, leaving you craving more sugar to get that insulin spike again. This sends you on an endless unhealthy internal roller coaster ride.
4. Increases risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Obesity is an increased risk factor for these diseases.
Too much sugar can cause insulin resistance, which causes blood sugar to rise and increasing risk of diabetes.
A diet high in sugar increases inflammation in the body, which can cause obesity and insulin resistance, all of which increase the risk of cancer.
High sugar intake has been linked to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure, both of which increase the risk of heart disease.
5. Drains your energy
Eating a high sugar drains your energy, leaving you feeling flat and reaching for those afternoon snacks. Insulin levels spike after eating sugar, which increases energy. But since there is no protein, fibre or fat in sugar, blood sugar levels drop, leading you to crash and feel flat again.
6. Fatty liver
Fructose is broken down in the liver and stored there as glycogen till it is needed for energy. But the liver can only store so much glycogen before it gets turned into fat. This leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, making it hard for your liver to work correctly.
Sugar really has a lot to answer for. It is just so delicious. But is it really worth causing your body so much trouble. Keep sugar as an occasional treat. You will find that if you eat less sugar, you will crave less sugar and your food will start tasting better.
I can help you kick the sugar habit. Email me on info@zestnutrition.org
for more information and we can discuss helping you be the best version of yourself.
If you would like some help to cube your cravings and reduce your sugar, lets chat.
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References:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/sugar-drinks-toc~sugar-drinks-3-fact-sheets~sugar-drinks-factsheet-3-3-sugar-what-drink
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4364.0.55.011
https://www.livescience.com/36188-sugar-bad.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/too-much-sugar#section12