What Happens When You Eat Too Much Sugar?

You don’t have to consume an ooey-gooey cheesecake brownie to eat too much sugar. Sugar is in almost everything these days. It’s in ketchup, granola, chocolate milk, and low-fat yogurt. It goes by many names, but they all have one thing in common. It could be killing you. Food with added sugar won’t cause lasting damage if you eat it occasionally, but in the US, people are consuming 25 ¼ teaspoons a day, far more than the recommended amount.

Sugar has caused an epidemic of obesity.

When discussing sugar consumption, it’s always about added sugar. Food with natural sugar, like fruit, contain fiber that slows the absorption of sugar. Sugar consumption in the US averaged 17 ½ pounds a year. By 2011, that average amount increased to 150 pounds and today it’s even more. At the same time, the average weight of US citizens has increased and obesity has become the leading cause of preventable death. One of the biggest concerns about too much sugar is that it leads to excess weight. You don’t have to be obese to have that extra weight affect your heart, blood pressure, and blood glucose level and make other significant and deadly changes.

Sugar increases insulin levels and causes insulin resistance.

Too much sugar can cause insulin levels to be high. If they remain high too long, it can cause insulin resistance leading to diabetes and metabolic diseases. When you eat sugar, it goes to your bloodstream and causes the body to send insulin. Insulin then triggers the cells to open to uptake the glucose for energy. At some point, flooding the body with insulin causes the cell’s reaction to stop working and not open. The body then triggers more insulin since blood sugar levels are still high. It becomes a vicious cycle affecting the pancreas, eventually causing metabolic disease and diabetes.

Sugar might be why you have so many colds or frequent bouts of flu.

Sugar affects the immune system. Besides preventing illnesses, like colds or flu, it also helps prevent cancer by removing damaged cells. The immune system is boosted by vitamin C, and vital for proper cell functioning. The chemical composition of glucose—blood sugar—is similar to vitamin C. When you eat sugar, it changes to glucose in the body and competes with vitamin C to enter the cell. That lowers immunity and makes the body more vulnerable to disease.

• High consumption of sugar can lead to high blood pressure. Like fat and salt, consuming sugar can cause blood pressure to rise if it’s 25% higher than the 6 tsp daily recommended amount for women or 9 tsp for men.
• Too much sugar can lead to mental issues. Mood swings, depression, and anxiety can be triggered when you consume too much sugar. Sweet wines, soft drinks, and fruit juice can be culprits.
• Glucose can attach to collagen and elastin, creating AGEs—advanced glycation end products. That causes premature aging of internal organs and skin. It causes more than just wrinkling, but also serious conditions.
• Too much sugar impacts the whole body. It can cause gallstones, arthritis, poor eyesight, dental carries, and varicose veins. Cut out food with added sugar for a month and you’ll feel better, look better, and have healthier vitals.

For more information, contact us today at Thrive Fitness!