The decision to cut back on sugar is not an easy one. It can hide in many things food and different drinks, even in “healthy” ones. While sugar isn’t considered a good food, a little sweetness is fine, according to Health.com.
How Much Sugar Can You Eat?
The United States Department of Agriculture recommends limiting added sugars to less than 10% of your daily calories. Meanwhile, the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories) of added sugar for women and 9 teaspoons (150 calories) for men.
It is important to note that these recommendations do not include the natural sugars found in whole foods such as fruit or milk. Your body spends more time digesting whole foods and processing their sugars.
Where can excessive sugar consumption lead?
Too much sugar, both added and natural, can be harmful to health. In particular, too much added sugar can put you at greater risk they were heart, liver disease, diabetes, obesity and other health conditions.
Reducing the amount of sugar can lead to a decrease weight and not only. Here are the possible benefits of eliminating sugar.
Eliminating sugar helps control weight
As long as you stay below the recommended daily allowances for added sugar, eating it is unlikely to cause weight gain. However, several studies show that meals high in added sugar are associated with obesity and being overweight.
For your long-term health, limit sugary foods and drinks. Choose foods that are low in added sugar, such as fruits and vegetables.
Sweets cause tooth decay
You have to remove the sugar that sticks to your teeth. Over time, bacteria in the mouth can break down sugar to produce an acid. This acid gradually destroys the surface of the teeth, causing tooth decay. Too many bacteria can also lead to infected or inflamed gums.
Reducing the amount of sugar added in meals to less than 10% of total calories each day can reduce the risk of developing tooth decay, as recommended by the WHO.
Eliminating sugar reduces the risk of liver disease
Studies show that if you consume excessive amounts of added sugar, you can get sick.
It’s your liver’s job to break down fructose, a type of added sugar. But excess fructose, especially from sugary drinks, that gets to the liver is converted into fat. Finally, when too much fat is stored in the liver, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease can develop.
Eliminating sugar helps your heart health
Added sugars are both indirectly and directly linked to heart disease. Meals with more than 20% of total calories from added sugar are associated with high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood.
One study looked at the daily consumption of added sugar and the risk of heart disease in more than 11,000 people over about 15 years. Participants who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories from sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who consumed less than 10 percent of their calories from added sugar.
Even if you are healthy, cutting down on added sugar can help keep your blood pressure and cholesterol at healthy levels. This can also reduce the risk of heart disease.
Eliminating sugar leads to healthy skin
Another reason to cut down on sugar: It can improve skin health. Too much sugar means your body releases more insulin as well HORMONE similar to insulin. These hormones can trigger skin-related changes: your body may produce more androgens (such as testosterone) and more sebum (oily substance), both of which can lead to acne.
Cutting down on added sugar could also help slow skin aging. When you reach early adulthood, collagen and elastic proteins enter skin skin ages naturally, causing wrinkles.
Sugar contains various substances that react with collagen and the elastic fibers of the skin. The more sugar you consume, the stiffer and less elastic your skin can become.
It can reduce the risk of depression
What we eat can affect the functioning of our brain, thus affecting our mood. For example, eating foods such as fish, whole grains, nuts, fresh fruits, and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms.
Several studies also suggest that sugary drinks are linked to an increased risk of depressive symptoms. This can happen because too much sugar can be addictive: when you eat it, your brain releases endorphins and dopamine, hormones that make you feel good at that moment. Over time, this can affect your mood.
