11 Reasons Why Too Much Sugar Is Bad for You

Added sugar can be found in the most unexpected products, from your peanut butter to your ketchup. Fast food and processed foods are easily purchased for meals and snacks, therefore people mostly rely on them.

These products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of their daily calorie intake. So many modern diseases are thought to be related to our high sugar and carbohydrate consumption, insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.

So here’s 11 reasons why too much sugar is bad for you;

Increases Insulin resistance which often leads to diabetes

A diet high in sugar and carbs leads to a constant release of insulin. Prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. This high level of circulating insulin eventually leads to insulin resistance which often leads to pre diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

May increase your risk of cancer

Eating too much sugar may increases your risk of developing certain cancers. Firstly, eating too much of it makes you obese which naturally increases your risk of having cancer. A study in over 430,000 people found that added sugar consumption was positively associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, pleural cancer and cancer of the small intestine.
In summary, too much sugar can lead to obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for cancer.

Gives you tooth decay

Everyone knows bacteria in the mouth loves sugar, sweets, candy and soda, but did you know any starch can start this off? Bread, potatoes, rice. And what about the acid in the soda and juice which break down the enamel? Dental decay and tooth removal is the number one reason for hospital admissions amongst children.

Makes you gain weight

Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar. Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods.
Additionally, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating, which lets you eat all you can eat; aiding obesity.

Consuming too much added sweeteners, especially from beverages, increases your risk of weight gain and can lead to visceral fat accumulation.

It may increase your risk of a heart disease

Consuming too much added sugar increases heart disease risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure and inflammation. High-sugar diets have been linked to an increased risk of dying from heart disease. Too much sugar is linked to fatal heart disease, even in those who are not obese. Sugar is not only making us fat, it’s making us sick – regardless if you are thin or obese.

Can suppress your immune system

Sugar reduces the immunity that your body naturally has to fight away infections, it also depletes your body of essential nutrients required for a healthy immune system.

Can affect children’s IQ

There is evidence that a poor diet associated with processed food in early childhood may be associated with reductions in IQ in later childhood, while a healthy diet, associated with high intakes of nutrient rich foods may be associated with small increases in IQ

Has been linked to acne

Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development. Poor diet can cause reduced immunity, bacterial overgrowth in the gut and inflammation, all which can aggravate eczema and other skin conditions. Often a low sugar and candida free diet are prescribed.

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Can cause cataracts

Too much sugar in the blood weakens the cell membranes and causes oxidative damage in the lens. Good blood sugar control, interestingly, strengthens antioxidant defenses and protects cell membranes from leakage.

Causes kidney disease

High blood sugar is one of the leading major risk factors for causing kidney disease. Sugar damages the microvascular vessels in the kidney which affect the ability for the kidneys to regulate excretion of harmful waste, blood pressure, salt, mineral, protein and fluid balance.

Can cause oestrogen production in men

Dietary sugar can be one of the causes of coronary heart disease, and support the view that the underlying mechanism producing the disease is a disturbance in hormone balance.
Oestrogen is the main female sexual hormone, which is responsible for the regulation and development of the female reproductive system, along with secondary sexual characteristics. Now imagine if a female sexual hormone is being developed in a man.. Man boobs are on the rise, watch your sugar intake.

Cause wrinkles

Sugar in the blood attaches to proteins and causes AGE advanced glycation end products. These attack the fibres in elastin and collagen which makes your skin supple.

Ergo, causing your face and your skin to wrinkle before you even age. This reason alone should put you off sugar for life! Nobody wants to be 25 looking 60.

There are no downsides to giving up sugar, no adverse complications arise if you stop eating sugar or at least regulate your sugar intake, It is all about choice. if you chose to eat sugar, you will be at higher risks of the above. Our health is determined by our personal responsibility.