Dangers of Sweet Treats
Sugar has a mixed reputation when it comes to health. Sugar occurs naturally in all carbohydrate-containing foods, including fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy. Consuming entire meals that contain natural sugar is acceptable. Plant foods are high in fiber, vital minerals, and antioxidants, whereas dairy foods include protein and calcium.
Because your body digests these foods slowly, the sugar provides a consistent supply of energy to your cells. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains has also been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and some malignancies.
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Consuming excessive sugar:
However, difficulties arise when you consume an excessive amount of added sugar – sugar that food producers add to products to enhance flavor or lengthen shelf life. Soft drinks, fruit drinks, flavored yogurts, cereals, cookies, cakes, sweets, and most processed foods are among the most common sources in the American diet. However, added sugar can be found in foods that you might not associate with sweetness, such as soups, bread, cured meat, and ketchup.
The effect is that we consume far too much added sugar. Adult men consume an average of 24 teaspoons of added sugar each day, according to the National Cancer Institute. That equates to 384 calories.
Impact on the heart:
In a 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, Dr. Hu and his colleagues discovered a link between a high-sugar diet and an increased risk of dying of heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year trial, persons who consumed 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who consumed only 8% of their calories from added sugar. "Basically, the higher the intake of added sugar, the higher the risk for heart disease," according to Dr. Hu.
Sugar's effect on heart health is not fully understood, however there appear to be some indirect correlations. For example, high sugar levels overburden the liver. "Your liver metabolizes sugar the same way as alcohol, and converts dietary carbohydrates to fat," indicates Dr. Hu. Over time, this can lead to a higher deposit of fat, which can progress to fatty liver disease, a contributing factor to diabetes and an increased risk of heart disease.
Consuming too much added sugar can elevate blood pressure and cause chronic inflammation, all of which are biological precursors to heart disease. Excess sugar consumption, particularly in sugary beverages, can lead to weight gain by disrupting the body's appetite-control system. This is because liquid calories are less satisfying than solid calories, making it easier to add more calories to one's diet.
How much is acceptable?
If 24 teaspoons of additional sugar per day is excessive, what is the appropriate amount? It's difficult to say because sugar is not an essential nutrient in your diet. The Institute of Medicine, which determines Recommended Dietary Allowances, or RDAs, has not assigned an official number to sugar. However, the American Heart Association recommends that women limit their daily intake of added sugar to 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons or 24 grams) and men to 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons or 36 grams). That is almost equivalent to the amount in a 12-ounce can of Coke.
Subtracting additional sugar
Reading food labels is one of the most effective ways to keep track of your intake of added sugar. Look for the following names for added sugar and attempt to avoid or reduce the amount or frequency of meals that contain them: Ingredients include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, and fruit juice concentrate. Sugars ending in "ose" include high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, malt sugar, molasses, and sucrose. Total sugar, including added sugar, is frequently listed in grams.
Take note of both the number of grams of sugar per serving and the overall number of servings. "It might only say 5 grams of sugar per serving, but if the normal amount is three or four servings, you can easily consume 20 grams of sugar and thus a lot of added sugar," according to Dr. Hu. Keep track of the sugar you add to your food and beverages. Beverages such as coffee and tea account for over half of all added sugar. According to a research published in Public Health in May 2017, almost two-thirds of coffee drinkers and one-third of tea drinkers add sugar or sweet flavorings to their beverages. The researchers also discovered that more than 60% of the calories in their beverages were from added sugar.
Written by: Chloe