It is difficult to completely avoid sugar in the world that we live in today, and we’re not asking you to. But even in the foods we consume on a daily basis that we believe are healthy, there is often sugar hiding in the label.
Too much sugar can have many negative consequences for our health, and it’s important to be mindful of how much we consume on a daily basis. This isn’t meant to scare you, but to help you become more aware of your sugar eating habits and how they can affect your body if you aren’t careful.
Weight Gain
This first one isn’t much of a secret. For a long time, we have associated overconsumption of sugar with weight gain. The main culprits of weight gain related to sugar are sweetened beverages like sodas, juice, and sports drinks. This is just one of the physical side effects that eating too much sugar can have. If you find that are you in this category and do drink a lot of sugary beverages, try finding sugar-free alternatives like Crystal Light, diet sodas, flavored waters, etc.
Increased Cravings
The more sugar you consume, the more you are going to want. Eating sugar causes a release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that makes you feel good, which explains why sugar is the go-to for many when they are feeling stressed or sad. But because of this chemical release and the good feeling associated with it, it’s why you start to crave sugar more, to increase that feeling of pleasure. It can really turn sugar consumption into an addiction if you aren’t careful.
The best way to offset this is to choose alternatives with less sugar when you get those cravings, like a piece of fruit or sugar-free alternative. Consuming sugary treats less and in moderation rather than on a daily basis can also help with this.
Joint Pain
Consumption of lots of sweets has been linked with joint pain because the sugary foods can cause inflammation in the body. Conditions like gout and rheumatoid arthritis become an increased risk with large amounts of sugar consumption. If you find that you have regular joint pain, and also happen to consume a lot of sugary substances, try cutting back on the sugar for a few weeks and see how that affects you. Noting the change you feel will only make you more determined to cut back on the sweets. However, if you haven’t noticed much of a difference and are still experiencing regular joint pain, talk to a professional like those at www.bhdorthopedics.com for treatment options for your pain.
Skin Problems
Sugar consumption causes acne and can make your skin age faster. Sugar can attach itself to protein in the bloodstream to create molecules that age your skin. These molecules damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, which are the fibers that keep your skin looking young and healthy. Cut sugar out for a week or two and see how quickly your skin clears up and how much better it feels. The results will make you want to continue.
Depression
Healthy diets have been proven to lift your mood, just as too much sugar and unhealthy substances in your diet can increase the risk of developing depression. Changes in blood sugar, the impacts of sugar on the brain, and other physiological problems caused by sugar can have a negative impact on mental health. Eating a candy bar now and then isn’t going to cause depression. But it’s important to be mindful of your processed food eating habits and to moderate your consumption of them to take care of your body and your mind.
