Although sugar may taste delicious, having an excess amount of it is not beneficial for your well-being. This can be difficult to accept, particularly since around 30 percent of adult Americans obtain at least 15 percent of their daily caloric intake from added sugars.
If you think you’re consuming an excessive amount of sugar, you may realize that you seldom feel fully contented post-meal and frequently end up craving additional food. This occurs due to the fact that an abundance of added sugars can interfere with your natural appetite signals. Furthermore, this pattern doesn’t account for the potential long-term health consequences associated with regularly ingesting high amounts of added sugar.
This is what occurs within your body when you ingest an excessive amount of added sugar.
How much sugar should you have?
The American Heart Association suggests that men should not exceed 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugars daily, whereas for women, this amount should be capped at 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) each day.
Dietary Recommendations for Americans 2020–2025
proposes somewhat milder guidelines suggesting no more than 200 calories (which equates to 50 grams or about 12 teaspoons) from added sugars for every 2,000 calorie intake.
It’s crucial, however, to differentiate between natural and added sugars. Natural sugars occur naturally within carb-loaded items including fruits, veggies, pulses, milk products, and entire cereals. Alongside these sugars, these foodstuffs offer vital nourishment components like vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibers, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. You shouldn’t steer clear of these nutritionally-packed wholesome edibles even when curbing your consumption of sweetness. Actually, carbs with inherent sugars ought to constitute somewhere from 40 percent to 65 percent of your total caloric intake each day since they serve as the main fuel for our bodies.
On the contrary, added sugars are incorporated during manufacturing or cooking to boost taste. People often link added sugars to items such as sodas, sweets, and candies; however, they’re also present in numerous packaged products including breads, whole-grain cereals, non-dairy milk alternatives, snack bars, yogurt varieties, soups, dressing mixes, sauces, and various seasonings. Even though individual servings might have just a modest quantity of these sugars, eating different types of these goods over the course of a day could rapidly elevate your overall consumption of added sugars.
What occurs if you consume excessive amounts of sugar?
High-sugar foods do not adequately curb your appetite. Consequently, ingesting an excessive amount of added sugars might cause you to feel hungry again shortly after eating.
In one
study
Sixteen women were split into two teams to evaluate the impact of sugar on appetite. Team A enjoyed a standard breakfast, whereas team B had an identical breakfast paired with two sweetened beverages. After waiting for three hours post-breakfast, both groups proceeded to have lunch, and experts tracked their feelings of hunger throughout this period as well as during subsequent meals. Those who drank the sugary beverages experienced increased hunger pangs between mealtimes and consumed larger portions at lunch compared to those consuming less sugar. Although this experiment involved only a few participants, these outcomes align with broader scientific studies conducted previously.
Additional
studies
demonstrate how foods rich in fats and sugars can amplify hunger cues while diminishing feelings of satisfaction. Essentially, these sweet items disrupt your body’s capacity to manage cravings and the sense of being full following a meal. Such interference might prompt you to take in additional calories over time, potentially leading to an increase in weight.
The lasting impacts of excessive sugar consumption
Apart from its direct effect on hunger, consuming too much sugar can result in various long-term health problems. For instance, sugar nourishes oral bacteria, which can cause tooth decay.
World Health Organization
Reports indicate that increased amounts of added sugars in one’s diet are closely associated with a heightened likelihood of developing cavities, which poses a significant global health issue. To mitigate this risk, they suggest restricting added sugars to under 10% of your total daily caloric intake, and preferably below 5%, as a strategy to lower the chance of experiencing tooth decay across a lifetime.
A diet rich in added sugars can also elevate the risk of severe health issues.
2023 review
Of more than 8,000 studies reviewed, it was determined that consuming large amounts of sugar correlated with a higher likelihood of experiencing at least 45 different health issues such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, various cancers, and early mortality. This comprehensive analysis advises lowering the consumption of added sugars to under 25 grams daily (approximately equivalent to six teaspoons) and restricting sugary drinks to fewer than once weekly to reduce these health hazards effectively.
Ways to consume less refined sugar
No matter your health goals,
cutting back on added sugar
It’s an effective method to improve your well-being. However, cutting back isn’t always straightforward. Below are some suggestions to assist you in making this adjustment:
-
Read drink labels carefully.
A lot of drinks promoted as “healthier” options often contain high amounts of added sugars. The most advisable selections would be water, sparkling water, or unsweetened iced tea or coffee. -
Be a sugar detective.
Search for concealed sugar in common items such as bread, ketchup, various sauces, salad dressings, potato chips, breakfast cereals, and yogurt. Opt for choices containing reduced amounts of sugar. As an illustration, muesli serves as a filling, low-sugar substitute for numerous cereals, and you can enhance plain yogurt’s sweetness naturally using fruits or perhaps just a bit of natural sweetener.
spoonful of Nutella
for a tasty treat. -
Look out for hidden sugars.
Items such as honey-roasted nuts or maple bread might seem healthy, yet they contain significant amounts of added sugars. Look at the ingredient list for various forms of sugar (such as maple syrup, molasses, honey, and brown rice syrup).
,
High-fructose corn syrup, cane juice, or agave nectar, and keep an eye on the “added sugar” row in the nutritional information.
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