Click here to go to Hea Amazon StoreFront

How Much Sugar Is Too Much Sugar | Hea Boosters

Ahh! That’s too much sugar! Or, I don’t like sugar in my coffee or tea!

We have heard so many of these statements throughout our lives, but have you ever wondered why sugar gets a bad reputation?

In reality, sugar is one of the most vital sources of energy. There are six types of sugars, which are essential for our survival --- glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose, maltose, and sucrose.

Fructose is generally found in fruits, honey, and vegetables, lactose is derived from dairy-rich foods, which have natural sugar in them. Glucose is found in plant-based foods like spinach, broccoli, and wheat to name a few. Galactose is found in complex carbohydrates but is essentially considered a part of lactose-based food items. The last two types, maltose, and sucrose are the by-products of other natural sugars that are derived after the fermenting process, say, for example, white sugar, brown sugar, wine, alcohol, and more.



The body mostly derives all the sugar it needs from the above-mentioned sources, however, adding artificial sweeteners to a diet, that’s when the problem begins.

How much sugar is too much sugar?

The sugar intake recommendation according to the FDA, should be no more than 10 percent of your daily calorie intake. To put that in perspective, the daily value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet.

For example, a container of yogurt with added sweeteners, might list:

sugar contents in yoghurt
Source: Image taken from FDA 

This means one serving of the product has 7 grams of added sugars and 8 grams of naturally occurring sugars – for a total of 15 grams of sugar. The 7g of added sugars represents 14% of the daily value for added sugars.

In case you're not eating enough fresh produce like vegetables and fruits, then you are not getting enough lean protein, solid fat, and unrefined carbohydrates, which are essential for the breakdown of sugar content in the body. In addition to the fact that you are not consuming essential nutrients, minerals, and fiber, but most importantly all the additional sugar that you might be consuming could harm your body.

Most of the sugar that we eat, a greater part of it gets broken down and ingested in the small digestive system. Our body contains specialized enzymes, which attack these sugar molecules and convert them into three less difficult sugars: glucose, galactose, and fructose. The liver and muscles store a portion of this glucose in the form of glycogen, which your body can use whenever your sugar level drops.

When you consume food that is rich in glucose sugar, the level of blood glucose rises. Accordingly, the pancreas secretes insulin to assist glucose with getting where it needs to go in your body.

Signs that you're eating an excessive amount of sugar:

1. Hunger bouts and weight gain:

In case you're consuming a great number of additional calories in the form of added sugars, then that’s the first sign of increased hunger. It is the sugar that you are consuming that might seem fulfilling to your taste buds, however, it doesn't fulfill or fill our stomachs.

how much sugar to have

Without protein, fiber, and nutritious fats, the body consumes sugar rapidly and you experience an increase in hunger bouts. Most of the refined food items like pasta, cakes, cookies, and more do not support your health. When we are hungry, we usually make careless decisions, which may soon become a habitual eating pattern.

2. Mood swings:

In case you're feeling grumpy, anxious, foggy brain, or irritated, then stress may not be the only explanation — it very well may be an indication that you're eating an excessive amount of sugar.

Additionally, eating added sugars can affect our state of mind and increase inflammation, which could lead to other side effects like stress, depression, and lack of concentration.

A high-sugar supper or snack without protein and fat rapidly spikes your glucose, however as your body races to handle every last bit of it, your energy levels crash, causing you to feel lazy and fractious.

3. Weakness and low energy:

Sugar is one of the nutrients that we consume, digest, and process easily, so in case you're feeling exhausted, it may very well be because of the amount of sugar you're consuming daily. Sugar is one of the fastest ways to replenish our energy level, so paying little attention to the amount of sugar you eat, you can overcome issues like feeling hungry constantly, weakness, and low energy.

4. Hypertension:

If you have seen an increase in your blood pressure of late, then the chances are you are eating too much sugar. One of the many reasons for hypertension is an increase in consumption of added sugar in your eating regimen. The sugar you consume may also affect your sleep pattern, which also adds to reasons for hypertension.

5. Skin issues and wrinkles:

If you are struggling with issues like acne break out, it could be because you are eating an excessive amount of sugar. Glycemic control plays a critical part in skin wellbeing and skin inflammation. For instance, one study proposed that insulin resistance may affect the severity of acne break out in certain individuals.

Conclusion:

While it's just not reasonable to keep away from all added sugars in your eating routine, it's a smart thought to understand marks; center around entire, natural food varieties however much as could be expected; and settle on better food decisions.

Sources:

Added sugars on the new nutrition facts label:
https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-new-nutrition-facts-label

Leave a comment