Before you add that one teaspoon of sugar to your tea or coffee, know about the harmful effects. Sugar indeed tastes good and has an addictive property. But, it’s surely a bad addiction for the body.
Too much sugar has harmful effects on the body, so you need to avoid it. Or simply cut down your sugar intake to remain healthy.
Consumption of sugar can also be a cause of many diseases like diabetes and obesity. Sugar has zero nutritional benefits for your body. And if there is no benefit, there is no point in consuming it.
A] Harmful Effects of Sugar on the Body
#1 It Increases the Risk of Diabetes and Heart Diseases
A high sugar diet has been linked with the risk of diabetes and heart-related diseases. Sugar can lead to inflammation in the body, obesity, and high cholesterol level. These are all risk factors for heart diseases. Even foods with artificial sugar increase the risk of diseases in the body.
Consumption of sugar can also lead to the accumulation of fat in the body, which may be a contributing factor to Diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of heart-related ailments if it is left uncontrolled. Also, excess intake of sugar affects the heart and other organs of the body.
#2 It Causes Early Signs of Ageing and Tooth Decay
Sugar can cause early signs of aging and wrinkles on your skin. It affects your body’s composition and is also a contributing factor to skin sagging. After sugar enters your bloodstream, it mixes with protein, and the mix of sugar and protein causes the skin to lose its elasticity.
Sugar also causes tooth decay if it is consumed in excess. It causes cosmetic damage over time if you don’t brush your teeth properly. Sugar intake causes bad bacteria in the mouth that damage the tooth enamel. It is also a cause of many gum-related diseases, so it affects your oral hygiene.
#3 It Can Lead to Chromium Deficiency and Loss of Immunity
Chromium is a trace material that helps to regulate the blood sugar level in the body. It can be found in various food sources, including plant foods and seafood. Foods that are high in carbs can rob your body of essential chromium. So, in most cases, it does lead to chromium deficiency.
Sugar also interferes with the way your body can fight various diseases. As bacteria and yeast feed on sugar, excess glucose in the body cause the organisms to build up, and that causes various infections.
Sugar may affect your immunity, so it’s best to cut down your sugar intake.
#4 It Increases the Stress Level in the Body
When the body is under stress, it tends to release large amounts of hormones. This has the same chemical response when the sugar is low in the body. When you have something sweet or consume sugar, the stress hormones begin to compensate for the crash.
This raises your normal blood sugar level in the body. It also raises stress levels, thereby causing a state of irritability. Most people tend to emotional eat and they choose sweets for getting rid of stress. But this may do more harm than good to the body.
B] How You Can Cut Down Your Sugar Intake?
#1 Avoid sugar-filled Drinks and Beverages
Sodas and sugar-filled drinks have added sugar, so it is indeed harmful to the body. Soft drinks and packaged juices are pre-prepared, so they contain a high concentration of sugar. It is best to stick with homemade lemonade or water. Fruits-infused water is also a good option if you like to sip on drinks.
Natural fruits have no added sugar so it’s a healthy option for your body. There are many healthy replacements for sugar-filled drinks. Add herbal or fruit teas to your diet plan. You also have the option of drinking unsweetened tea or coffee. Cutting back on sugary drinks will also help you to lose weight.
#2 Always Check Labels
Always read the product labels to check how much sugar the product contains. Scanning labels will give you a clear picture of the product. Many times, the ingredient list may have synonyms for sugar, which you need to check.
If you come across words like high fructose corn syrup, maltose, invert sugar, caramel, and rice syrup, then you should know that all these are a form of sugar only. Don’t buy products with sugar as it may be harmful to the body and instead, always stick to natural options like honey or jaggery.
#3 Choose Healthier Food Options
The so-called healthy foods you are having may contain a lot of sugar. Even healthy options like granola bars and protein bars have sugar. Moreover, the dried fruit options you nibble on contain added sugar.
Choose healthier food options like a handful of nuts and trail mixes. If you need a healthy snack option, then nothing can beat fruits. Just grab your favorite fruit every time you feel hungry. You can also include hard-boiled eggs and other low-sugar snack foods in your daily diet plan.
#4 Eat More Whole Foods
Whole foods do not contain added sugar that is commonly found in other processed foods. Whole foods are also free of other artificial substances and additives. Eating more whole foods in the diet will reduce your sugar intake. Have whole foods in your daily diet plan.
Sugar intake may cause your glucose levels to spike and have a negative impact on important nutrients in the body. Excess sugar in the diet can be incredibly harmful to the body.
If you are planning to cut down your sugar intake, then read labels and stick to replacements. Even if you stop having a natural form of sugar, there are many sources of sugar, which you may consume unknowingly.
So, it’s best to check for labels and count your calories. Choose a healthy diet based on greens and whole foods so that’ll help to limit your intake. Also, consider natural sweeteners over regular sugar. This will help you to keep your body healthy.