Most people are probably already aware that eating too much sugar can cause your teeth to rot and can lead to the development of diabetes and obesity. But, did you know that too much sugar can also trigger high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, heart disease and even cancer? Heath experts are claiming that sugar is “just as dangerous as tobacco and alcohol” and call for authorities to regulate the sweet stuff similar to the aforementioned vices.

“Everywhere, sugary drinks and junk foods are now pressed on unsuspecting parents and children by a cynical industry focussed on profit, not health,” said Simon Capewell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool in the U.K.

“The obesity epidemic is already generating a huge burden of disease and death.”

Too many sweets are bad for your health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity affects around 93.3 million American adults; costing the U.S. about $147 billion in medical costs each year. While sugary food and drinks are already a known problem, many people are unaware that they consume much more sugar than they realize. Plenty of food manufacturers disguise added sugar under different names to mislead consumers. Foods like breakfast cereals and yogurt may be branded as “healthy” but actually harbor plenty of added sugar in them.

Studies show that people in the U.S. consume over 60 pounds (28 kg) of added sugar per year – with an average intake of about 76.7 g per day. However, dietary guidelines suggest limiting the calories gained from added sugar to about less than 10 percent per day. Eating too much sugar can cause a variety of negative effects on your overall health, ranging from an increased risk of heart disease to worsening your mood. Below you can a few reasons why eating sugar is bad for your health.

Triggers weight gain

Added sugars from sugar-sweetened beverages are one of the main culprits of the rising obesity crisis worldwide. This is because they are packed with fructose, a type of simple sugar. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) found that consuming fructose activates brain regions that increase your hunger and desire for food. Its effects are found to be even stronger than glucose, a type of sugar found in starchy foods.

Because of this, sugar does not actually curb your hunger. Instead, it makes it much easier to consume more calories per day, leading to weight gain.

Increases heart disease risk

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing about 647,000 Americans each year. Recent evidence has shown that diets high in sugar can lead to obesity, inflammation and high blood sugar and blood pressure levels – all of which are risk factors that lead to heart disease.

Further, a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that those who consumed about 17 to 21 percent of calories from added sugars had a 38 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease. This is compared to those who only consumed eight percent of calories from added sugar.

Increases cancer risk

Eating large amounts of sugar can lead to health conditions that increase your risk of developing certain cancers. A study published in the journal Current Diabetes Reports found that high-sugar diets can increase inflammation and raise your body’s resistance to insulin, both of which increase your cancer risk. Other evidence suggests that excessive sugar consumption can lead to esophageal cancer, pleural cancer and even cancer of the small intestine.

Increases depression risk

While a healthy and balanced diet can improve your overall mood, diets high in sugar and processed foods can actually increase your chance of depression. Studies have associated the consumption of processed foods with higher depression risk and researchers believe that blood sugar level fluctuations, neurotransmitter dysregulation and inflammation all contribute to this lowered mood.

Eating too much sugar can bring about plenty of negative health effects. By cutting down on added sugar, you can significantly improve your health, as well as get rid of your sugar habit. Learn more about the negative effects of added sugars at Sweeteners.news.

Sources:

Telegraph.co.uk

CDC.gov 1

CDC.gov 2

HopkinsMedicine.org

Healthline.com 1

Healthline.com 2

Health.gov [PDF]

PNAS.org

ScienceDirect.com

JAMANetwork.com

Link.Springer.com

OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com

Nature.com