One of the first addictions we adopt as a child is sugar, and it remains so throughout our lives. What everybody loves is something sweet, and will constantly crave it. Most are unaware the majority of the sugar we consume is “hidden,” resulting in having no idea how much we’re consuming.
There’s the naturally occurring sugars such as fruit and milk, along with favorite common foods such as soda, candy, cakes, cookies, yogurt, ice cream, etc.
There’s no end to the amount of sugar we consume, which is always beyond what’s recommended for a healthy diet. Every major organ in the body then becomes affected.
10. Accelerates Aging Of The Skin
One of the more visible signs of excess sugar intake, is it damages the skin.
What too much sugar does is accelerates a process known as glycation, which makes you look older than you actually are.
During the glycation process, what sugar does is attaches to and damages proteins such as collagen and elastin, which plays vital roles in producing smooth and flexible skin.
What sugar does is causes inflammation, which results in wrinkles, acne, and premature aging.
Sugar intake is also linked to high blood sugar, which reduces skin-protecting antioxidants.
This makes the skin more susceptible to damage from the sun, another important factor when it comes to premature skin aging.
9. Affects The Health Of The Brain
What excess sugar does is impairs cognitive function, as it reduces proteins in the body, which in turn reduces memory and responsiveness.
What this causes is trouble remembering things, as it affects short term memory.
High intake of sugar is also associated with metabolic syndrome in the brain.
This is a cluster of conditions which leads towards decreased cognitive function, while altering the structure of the brain.
8. Weakened Immune System
What high sugar intake does is suppresses the immune system, which makes you a lot more susceptible to the common cold, flu, infections, bacteria, and diseases.
What sugar does is impacts our white blood cells, by competing with vitamin C for space in the bodily cells.
White blood cells needs is vitamin C to destroy the incoming viruses and bacteria, which protects our health. Too much sugar consumption lessens the vitamin C storage, which results in a weakened immune.
7. Results In Poor Sleep
When it comes to the poor quality of sleep, you can blame it on the dessert, candy, or the hot chocolate you had before going to bed.
What most aren’t aware of, is that sugar is linked to poor sleep. What’s known is high saturated fat or a high sugar diet, is associated with a lack of deep restorative shuteye.
What eating sugary foods does is suppresses orexin, which is a neurotransmitter which helps in regulating arousal, wakefulness, and appetite.
High sugar consumption also causes blood sugar spikes, resulting in poor quality of sleep.
6. Promotes Poor Oral Health
What any sugary food or beverage does is damages oral health, as there are a variety of bacteria inside the mouth which feeds off sugar.
What this bacteria does is uses the fructose found in sugar to create lactic acid, which damages tooth enamel while causing cavities and bad breath.
Not properly brushing your teeth after eating sweets, or especially before going to bed, has proven to be the most detrimental. It also leads to the dreaded “morning breath.”
5. Causes Anxiety And Moodiness
The end residue of a sugary diet after the “sugar” crash, is it increases anxiety, irritability, moodiness, and even depression.
What the brain needs is a steady supply of glucose and insulin to function properly. Once it gets an excess supply of glucose, what it becomes is restless and anxious.
What high sugar intake can also do, is trick the brain into increased usage of alcohol or drug addiction. Sugar releases dopamine in the brain, which accelerates the affinity towards these addictive vices.
4. Damages The Heart
What sugar does is attacks the heart and the arteries, and is thought to be more harmful than fat. It increases the risk of cardiovascular and heart disease.
What the fructose found in sugar does, is increases the “bad” cholesterol, which constricts the arteries.
High blood pressure forces the heart and arteries work harder, which increases the risk of heart related medical conditions.
Those who exceeds their daily sugar intake levels, have a 3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. Results In Liver Damage
A diet high in sugar can eventually affect the liver. What sugar contains is glucose and fructose, which are both metabolized by the liver and then converted into lipids.
What excess sugar does, is forces the liver to produce too much of these lipids, which affects proper liver function.
The insulin spike causes fat accumulation in the liver cells, which eventually inflames and scars the liver. This can result in extreme fatigue, jaundice, and abdominal discomfort.
2. Increases Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
What excess sugar does is causes insulin resistance along with elevated insulin in the blood, which are key contributors to Type 2 diabetes.
What consuming too much sugar leads to, are fatty deposits building up around the liver. This eventually affects the pancreas, which leads to insulin resistance.
Once the body becomes resistant to insulin, the beta cells found in the pancreas, eventually becomes damaged.
1. Causes Weight Gain
The most obvious is weight gain, as most, especially children, feed on sugary treats and beverages, which results in an increase in obesity.
What all the empty calories that’s found in sugar does is inhibits the cells from burning fat, which spikes up the insulin levels while messing with the metabolism, which contributes to weight gain.
What a high sugar based diet does is causes your body to produce lipoprotein lipase, which is an enzyme that can force the body to store food as fat cells.