The Hidden Danger of Sugar
Why is Sugar Dangerous?
Sugar wreaks havoc on our body. Overconsumption leads to weight gain, inflammation and a host of chronic health issues, such as increased risk for metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. What many do not realize is that sugar is also detrimental to mental health. Overconsumption has been linked to impaired cognition and memory, anxiety and depression (Sack, 2013). With a comparable addictiveness to cocaine, convenient processed foods laden with hidden sugar make it nearly impossible not to consume too much.
How Much is Too Much?
General recommendations for sugar intake from the World Health Organization and American Heart Association include the following:
Women and Children: Up to 6 teaspoons or 24 grams/day (toddlers: 3 teaspoons or 12 grams/day; avoid any added sugars for children under the age of 2)
Men: Up to 9 teaspoons or 36 grams/day
In a study conducted from 2009 to 2012, the American Heart Association reported that children averaged an intake of 80g of sugar per day (Vos et. el, 2017)! The graph below illustrates many household staples that are deceivingly high in sugar by comparing a single serving to the amount of sugar in an entire Snickers bar.
Check Your Blind Spots.
Sugar hides by many names. I have found over 65 names! Here are some tips to help identify sugar:
Ingredients ending in *ose, such as sucrose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, fructose
Ingredients that contain the following: syrup, sugar, nectar, malt
Any product with fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate or juice
Caramel, Muscovado, Dextrin and Maltodextrin
The following are considered natural sweeteners and often contain healthy vitamins and minerals, but do increase blood sugar and should be used sparingly:
Agave Nectar
Dates
Barley Malt
Fruit Juice
Birch Sugar/Syrup
Honey
Brown Rice Syrup
Maple Syrup/Sugar
Molasses
Coconut Sugar/Nectar
Beware the Artificial Sweetener.
Avoid artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium and sucralose.
Even though calorie-free, scientists have linked these sweeteners to increased risk of metabolic syndrome, type-2 diabetes and obesity. The American Diabetes Association concluded a 36% greater risk of metabolic syndrome and a 67% greater risk of type 2 diabetes with daily diet soda consumption (Nettleton et. al, 2009).
Sucralose in particular significantly alters the gut microbiome (Shiffman and Nagle, 2019). The human gut microbiome houses the immune system and tremendously impacts physiology, both in health and in disease.
Sugar alcohols, usually ending in an -ol, such as erythritol, are sugars with a chemical structure that makes them indigestible. Sugar alcohols are non-caloric and generally considered safe but can cause GI upset.
How to Combat Those Sugar Cravings.
Drink a glass of water. A sweet craving can be a sign of dehydration. I like infusing mine with mint, cucumber and lemon for added flavor.
Eat a piece of fruit. Fruit metabolizes more slowly, is full of fiber and antioxidants and has a less dramatic effect on blood sugar.
Eat a piece of dark chocolate (greater than 70% cacao). Dark chocolate has many anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Get more sleep. When we are tired, we crave sugar as an energy boost.
Eat a protein-filled snack. A protein-deficiency can lead to sugar cravings as the body searches for an immediate source of energy.
Choose a natural sweetener that keeps blood sugar stable, such as monk fruit or stevia, which come from real plants. Often these sweeteners can be substituted for all or part of added sugar in beverages and baked goods.
References:
Agrawal, R., & Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2012). ‘Metabolic syndrome’ in the brain: Deficiency in omega-3 fatty acid exacerbates dysfunctions in insulin receptor signaling and cognition. The Journal of Physiology, 590(10), 2485-2499. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2012.230078
Nettleton, J. A., Lutsey, P. L., Wang, Y., Lima, J. A., Michos, E. D., & Jacobs, D. R. (2009). Diet Soda Intake and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Diabetes Care, 32(4), 688-694. doi:10.2337/dc08-1799
Sack, D. (2013, September 2). 4 ways sugar could be harming your mental health [Web log post]. Retrieved May 17, 2020, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/where-science-meets-the-steps/201309/4-ways-sugar-could-be-harming-your-mental-health
Schiffman, S. S., & Nagle, H. T. (2019). Revisited: Assessing the in vivo data on low/no-calorie sweeteners and the gut microbiota. Food and chemical toxicology: an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association, 132, 110692. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2019.110692
Vos, M. B., Kaar, J. L., Welsh, J. A., Horn, L. V., Feig, D. I., Anderson, C. A., . . . Johnson, R. K. (2017). Added Sugars and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Children: A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 135(19). doi:10.1161/cir.0000000000000439