The Effects of Sugar on Your Health

We’ve all heard eating too much sugar is bad, but why? Sugar can harm the body in countless ways. Let’s take a closer look...

Rising obesity rates have been attributed to added sugar. Sugar increases your hunger and desire for more sugar. Excessive sugar consumption may also cause resistance to leptin, which is an important hormone that regulates your appetite. Excessive consumption 

of added sugars increases the chances of obesity, high blood pressure, and inflammation, which are risk factors for heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

There are a number of lifestyle factors that account for diabetes. However, there is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk.

Excessive amounts of sugar may increase your risk of developing certain cancers. This is due to the increased inflammation caused by sugar. Sugar is also linked to obesity and insulin resistance which are risk factors for most cancers.

These are just a few of the many reasons why a high-sugar diet is detrimental to your health. Here are other ways sugar can negatively affect your body:

• Your Brain. Sugar releases the feel-good chemical called dopamine. As we eat more sugar, we need higher amounts in order to get the same feeling of pleasure, leading to those “gotta-have-it” cravings.
• Your Mood. Studies have linked high sugar intake to a greater risk of depression in adults.
• Your Teeth. Your parents were right when they told you sugar was bad for your teeth as a kid. After eating something sweet, cavity-causing bacteria feeds on the sugar that lingers.
• Your Joints. Sugar can cause inflammation in the body, worsening joint pain. Additionally, research shows that sugar consumption can increase your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
• Your Skin. Inflammation can also cause the skin to age faster.
• Your Liver. Over time, excess sugar intake can cause your liver to become resistant to insulin which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
• Your Heart. Excess sugar causing extra insulin can also affect your arteries. Arterial walls grow faster than normal which adds stress to the heart, often leading to heart disease.

So what do you think? Is it time to kick the sugar habit? Next time you reach for that sugary treat, consider the impacts on your body and go for something fresh instead.