According to recent scientific studies, daily sugar consumption should be limited to 6tsp for women and 9tsp for men. However, in America, average daily sugar consumption can reach up to 17tsp per individual! That means that over 57 pounds of sugar above the recommended amount is consumed each year, per person. To understand the troubling nature of the issue behind these statistics we first have to understand the effects and downsides to consuming high amounts of processed sugars. Well, the science is in and from what we’ve gathered it tells us that too much consumed sugar can lead to…
Increased weight gain – Thanks to steadily rising rates of sugar consumption we are also seeing growth in the obesity rate. Obesity is often just the tip of the iceberg when you consider that most people who suffer from obesity have other health complications as well.
Higher chance for heart disease – With a high-sugar diet leading to problems like obesity we are seeing cases of heart disease, which is the number one cause of death worldwide, steadily increase. While sugar isn’t the only cause of this, it certainly is one of the most prevalent ones.
Risk of diabetes – Across the globe, we have seen the rate of individuals affected by diabetes nearly double in the past few decades! The increase in sugars being included in so many processed and/or “diet” foods is one of the main reasons for this. We have to get a handle on our sugar consumption now, or we’ll be dealing with even great health issues down the road.
Chance of developing cancer – In many cases we have seen that because of a high-sugar diet and its related health complications, individuals have gone on to develop even more serious health issues, like cancer. A recent study found that added sugar consumption was undoubtedly associated with cancers like esophageal, pleural, and cancer of the small intestine.
Developing mental health issues – Added consumption of high-sugar products, such as cake and sugary drinks, has been directly connected to an increased risk in developing depression. While we know that sugar has many detriments to our bodies physically, we cannot neglect what it is doing to us mentally at the same time.
Many other problems – There are so many issues that a high-sugar diet has been directly connected with, it can be hard to name them all. From all the ones listed above, to cellular aging, depleted energy, fatty liver, and even kidney disease, diets high in sugar don’t lead to an ideally healthy body or mind.
With so many physical, mental and emotional traumas that a sugary diet can cause, you have to ask yourself, “why are we still living this way and what can we do to change it?” The answer may not be simple, but there is hope that we can bring about the change necessary to keep people healthier, and it doesn’t have to be drastic. From simple fixes like swapping your sugary beverage for water or unsweetened seltzer, to more complex solutions like keeping a food diary and tracking your sugar consumption, we can be healthier. Little by little we can all have an impact on the rates these diseases are rising, by taking back control of our diets and being mindful about what we’re putting in our bodies. So drop the soda and ditch the cake to start taking control of the sugar problem right now!
