Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that provides energy to the body. Sugar, commonly described as white sugar or table sugar, has a bad reputation because it gives the body nutrient-deficient calories. Despite its ill repute, it is a huge part of our western diet.
The US is the largest consumer of table sugar, followed by Germany, the Netherlands, and Ireland. The western diet is high in sugar and low in fiber and is linked to metabolic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. According to 2017-2018 survey, 55% of the US population suffers from metabolic syndrome.
This article is an eye-opener for those who eat sugar without knowing the harm it’s causing. Before diving into signs of eating too much sugar, let’s first understand the average daily recommended benchmark for sugar and hidden sugars in your diet.
How much sugar should you consume in a day?
An average American consumes 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day. Excess sugar intake increases your risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends that women should limit their sugar intake to 6 teaspoons (25 grams) daily. However, men can have up to nine teaspoons (36 grams) daily.
The World Health organization (WHO) recommends that your daily food contain no more than 10% added sugar of total energy intake, but it is even better to reduce it to less than 5%.
What is free and bound sugar?
The sugar is classified into two main categories: intrinsic (bound) and extrinsic (free).
Intrinsic or bound sugars are natural sugars present in whole fruits, vegetables, and milk (lactose and galactose). On the contrary, extrinsic or free sugars are extracted from natural food sources and are devoid of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are simple chains of carbon and hydrogen easily broken down by bacteria and fungi. It includes white sugar (sucrose) and natural sugars in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit juice concentrates. White sugar is extracted from sugarcane and sugar beets.
Pay attention to hidden sugars in the diet
Pay attention to hidden sugars in your diet. Always read the label before buying packaged foods and readymade meals. Labels can be misleading. Often, they mention added sugars with different names. The following list will help you identify sugar without memorizing the list of complex terminologies:
- Any label that says syrup, for instance, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup or corn syrup.
- The word ending with “ose” suggests monosaccharide and disaccharide sugars such as fructose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, maltose, lactose, and galactose. Sucrose is another name for white sugar and is composed of glucose and fructose molecules.
- Different sugar names are raw sugar, sugarcane, brown sugar, and caster sugar.
Foods that might contain added sugars
Packaged convenient foods contain varying amounts of added sugars:
- Salad dressings like French, Thousand Island, and oil-based dressings contain 9-10 grams of sugar in two tablespoons.
- Granola cereal and bars seem healthy but contain as much sugar as a chocolate bar.
- Flavored yogurt contains added sugar, such as high fructose corn syrup.
- Frozen vegetables and meals contain 30-40 grams per serving of added sugars.
- Condiments like barbecue, ketchup, mayonnaise, and Sriracha contain 10-12 grams of sugar per serving.
- In low-fat or diet foods, the manufacturers often replace fat with sugar to improve their taste and texture.
- A food label that says organic or natural doesn’t mean it has no added sugars.
Why do sugars in fruits are better than in fruit juice?
Fruits are nature’s way of providing sugar to your body. Fruits are packed with fiber, essential minerals, and vitamins. When you eat a fruit, the fiber limits the absorption of the sugar all at once and will lead to a small spike in blood sugar. Conversely, fruit juice will cause a rapid, significant spike in blood sugar. The frequent spike in blood sugar is damaging to the body. In a healthy person, insulin is rapidly secreted from the pancreas to lower the blood sugar. Insulin allows sugar to enter the cells and returns blood sugar levels to normal.
The insulin receptors are expressed on skeletal muscles (arm and leg muscles), fat cells, and the heart and require insulin binding to facilitate glucose transport into the cells. The insulin binding to the receptors opens channels or gates for the glucose to enter the cell. Interestingly, glucose is transported to the brain, red blood cells, kidneys, and cornea (eye) through passive diffusion (without insulin).
Individuals who consume a high-sugar diet for prolonged periods (for years), frequent spikes in blood sugar may lead to insulin resistance. The insulin-dependent cells become resistant to insulin and don’t allow sugar to enter the cells. The prolong elevation in blood sugar glycates (binding of glucose to insulin receptors) the insulin receptors and changes the shape of the recpetor. Now, the altered recpetor will no longer bind to insulin and sugar level will remain steady.
High blood sugar also facilitates glycation of circulating insulin molecules that makes them unfit to bind to insulin receptors.
Moreover, the pancreas will fire insulin at an elevated level to lower the blood sugar blood. The continuous production of insulin will burn out the pancreas, leading to a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Most people are diagonsed with types 2 diabetes between the age of 35-45.
What does a persistent rise in blood sugar do to your body?
The persistent rise in blood sugar damages organs by making advanced glycation end products (AGE). Advanced glycation products are formed when glucose irreversibly binds to protein or fat molecules, changes their anatomical configuration and makes them dysfunctional.
In the blood vessels, glucose oxidizes the circulating fats and makes them unstable. These unstable fats stick to the inner walls of the arteries and begin the formation of aetherscerlotic plaque that obstructs the blood flow.
The blockage can happen anywhere in the body. If it blocks the arteries in the brain, you will end up having a stroke; if the blockage occurs in the coronary arteries (which supply blood to the heart), it will lead to angina (chest pain) or complete occlusion will result in cardiac arrest; damage to the retinal arteries will lead to blindness and so on.
signs you are eating too much sugar
Weight gain
Weight gain is the most common sign of eating too much sugar. Almost one-third of the US population is obese due to excessive sugar and fat intake. Visceral fat or belly fat increases significantly in people who consume a high-sugar diet. Added sugars are nutrient-poor calories and contribute to fat deposition around the belly.
Excess sugar causes leptin resistance. The glycation (non-enzymatic binding of glucose to protein) of leptin-binding receptors alters their ability to bind to leptin, leading to leptin resistance in the body. The leptin receptors are expressed on the nerves, liver, pancreatic, heart, stomach, and intestinal cells.
Leptin is a satiety hormone that signals your brain that you have eaten enough and stops your desire to eat more. Leptin resistance disrupts hypothalamic (brain) satiety signals. It allows you to eat more high-calorie foods, leading to weight gain.
In a study, rats fed with 30% sucrose, and a non-purified lab diet rapidly became obese and developed leptin resistance on the 16th day.
How do you manage it?
Time-restricted eating, calorie restriction, and intermittent fasting may improve leptin sensitivity. Avoid eating after 8 pm as late eating provokes leptin resistance, increased hunger, and more weight gain.
Bulge in the upper abdomen (Fatty liver disease)
Excess sugar intake causes a bulge in the upper abdomen and could be a sign of developing non-alcoholic liver disease. The non-alcoholic liver disease is caused by excess ingestion of fats, amino acids, glucose, and fructose in diet. The excess sugar, amino acids, and fats are taken up by the liver and are converted to fatty acids prior to storage. Over time, the liver cells becomes engorged with fat deposits, leading to non-alcoholic liver disease.
How do you manage it?
Eating fruits and vegetables and regular workouts detoxify the liver by gradually releasing those fat deposits.
Sugar craving and binge eating
Sugar is highly addictive. Sugar addiction displays symptoms similar to those of drug abuse, such as binge eating (loss of control), sugar cravings, and withdrawal symptoms. Like heroin and cocaine, sugar causes the release of dopamine (happy hormone) that gives you pleasure. The dopamine hit craves you to eat more sugar. Several animal studies demonstrates that the level of dopamine release increases as you increase your sugar intake.
Lethargy, lack of energy, depression, disturbed sleep, anxiety, nausea, and headaches are the common symptoms of sugar addiction. If you experience the above symptoms upon quiting sugar, you’re likely to have sugar addition. Although the withdrawal symptoms last for a few days to a few weeks, depending upon the level of addiction.
How do you manage it?
Highly processed packaged foods are high in sugar and fat, are addictive, and should be eliminated from the diet.
Acne
Acne is a common sign of excessive sugar intake, affecting up to 50 million Americans annually. High-glycemic foods elevate blood insulin, which in turn does three things:
- Stimulates sebum-producing glands (sebaceous glands) in the skin
- Decreases production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG)
- Raises androgen (male hormone such as testosterone) levels.
SHRB is a protein with a high binding affinity for androgens, leaving less free androgen to be used by tissues. The female body needs less testosterone and more free estrogen. The decreased synthesis of SHBG raises the level of free testosterone in the body.
High levels of free androgen provoke acne on the jawline. Androgen increases sebum production on the face and clogs pores, resulting in acne.
A study was conducted where participants who were given a low-glycemic diet (25% protein and 45% low-glycemic-index carbohydrates) for 12 weeks experienced a significant reduction in acne lesions. Also, they experienced an increase in insulin sensitivity and a decrease in androgen levels.
Furthermore, the natives of the Kitavan Islands (off the coast of Papua New Guinea) and the Aché hunter-gatherers of Paraguay rarely suffer from acne because they eat low-glycemic foods, predominantly fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Also, people who consume high-glycemic foods suffer from severe acne for a prolonged duration.
How do you manage it?
A high-sugar diet is deprived of nutrients required for healthy skin. Vitamins A, D, and E are the critical for healthy skin. Also, the consumption of omega 6 to 3 in the ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 is essential for the health of the sebaceous glands of the face. Excessive consumption of omega-6 causes inflammation and can lead to breakouts on the face.
Modern American diet contains omega 6 to 3 in the ratio of 17:1 to 20:1. Moreover, refined and processed foods high in sugar and omega six fatty acids (hydrogenated oils) play a role in acne. Adding flaxseeds, chia seeds, wild salmon, and mackerel may help with acne.
Frequent infections
People consuming high sugar frequently suffer from bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. A spike in blood sugar impairs the circulating white blood cell function (neutrophils and macrophages) – reduces their ability to attack and engulf the invader for 8-12 hours. Frequent sugar intake depresses your immune system and makes you prone to communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Also, sugar feeds the nasty, endotoxin-producing bacteria and fungi in your gut. The bacterial endotoxin, or lipopolysaccharide, enters the bloodstream and can cause inflammation in the joints, blood vessels, etc.
Signs of aging on the face
Increased sugar consumption accelerates aging. Your skin contains an abundant amount of collagen, a fibrous protein. In healthy and youthful skin, the collagen fibers lie parallel to one another. The parallel orientation of collagen fibers gives them elasticity.
The excess sugar intake forms advanced glycation end products (AGE) in the skin, known as the browning reaction. The excess sugar cross-links with collagen molecules, resulting in stiff and inelastic collagen. Moreover, the fructose in table sugar accelerates this process by seven times. Gradually, AGE accumulation in the skin causes wrinkles, fine lines, dullness, and loss of elasticity in the skin.
High dietary sugar also causes telomere shortening. The chromosomes (the genetic material of cells) have a tiny protective cap at the end of each strand, known as a telomere. Every time chromosomes duplicate, the telomeres shorten. Telomere shortening is a part of aging, but excess sugar intake accelerates the rate of telomere shortening.
How do you manage it?
A plant-based diet and mobilization of stem cells (ketogenic diet or prolong fasting) increase telomere length and slow the signs of aging. It also promotes the production of new collagen and rejuvenates the skin.
Dandruff and hair fall
Dandruff and hair fall is a common issue in people who eat a high-sugar diet. Dandruff is a fungal infection, and it feeds on sugar. High blood sugar promotes the growth of dandruff.
An increased hair fall may also occur secondary to high levels of free androgens in the body, a mechanism described above.
How do you manage it?
An alkaline diet helps get rid of dandruff. Sugar is metabolized to acid and is a part of an acidic diet. Some foods, such as lemon, vinegar, and fermented foods, contain acids. However, they make your body alkaline. Add more of these to your diet to get rid of dandruff.
Brain fog after a meal
If you suffer from brain fog or drowsiness half to 1 hour after a meal, it suggests that you probably have insulin resistance and the amount of sugar you consume is spiking your blood sugar. You may be taking less sugar than others, but brain fog suggests that it’s too much for your system to handle, and you need to revamp it.
How do you manage it?
Avoid cereal and sugar in breakfast, and start your day with a big, savory meal. Add more fiber, protein, and fats (nuts and seeds) to your meals to reduce the symptoms of insulin resistance and sugar spikes.
Replace free sugars with complex carbohydrates, vegetables, salads, and low-glycemic fruits. Intermittent fasting also helps sensitize the insulin receptors. During fasting, cells eliminate junk and old tissues and form new proteins and receptors receptive to insulin.
Memory loss
Excessive sugar intake can lead to memory loss and cognitive impairment. Long-term damage to brain cells can result in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The brain is among the few organs that don’t require insulin for glucose transport inside the cells and persistant high blood sugar can be toxic to brain cells.
Individuals with insulin resistance are more likely to deposit amyloid beta protein, a protein involved in the pathogenesis (disease process) of Alzheimer’s disease. The amyloid beta protein is a structurally altered protein that loses its normal function due to the binding of glucose, a process known as glycation. The non-enzymatic binding of glucose to amyloid protein makes it rigid and incapable of folding and gradual accumulation of misfolded protein leads to dementia and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a study published in 2023, 789 older adults free of dementia were enrolled in the Rush Memory and Aging Project and their eating habits were recorded through a questionaire. Out of 789 participants 118 developed dementia during 4.5-7 years of follow-up. Those who consumed higher sugar were twice at risk of developing dementia than those who consumed less sugar. Among sugars, fructose (fruit juices, confectionary, packaged desserts) and sucrose (table sugar in juices, desserts, sweets, and packaged cereals) had proven to be associated with higher dementia risk.
How do you manage it?
Frequent episodes of high blood sugar can intoxicate your brain, so stop eating sugar if you have difficulty remembering things. Coconut oil is known for its benefits in patients who suffer from memory loss.
Dental cavities
Consumption of excess refined foods and soft drinks can lead to dental cavities. Oral hygiene is critical for the prevention of cavities. However, cavities are also seen in people with good oral hygiene who eat a lot of refined sugar.
The simple sugar promotes the growth of the oral microbiome (bacteria and fungi) that metabolizes sugar and produces acid. The acid lowers the pH of the saliva and has a demineralizing effect on the dental enamel. Enamel demineralization weakens dental enamel and allows bacteria to attack the teeth.
How do you manage it?
Eating whole foods and quitting on refined and processed foods transforms the oral microbiome that promotes health and maintains the optimum pH of saliva (6.5-7.2).
conclusion
The increased intake of sugar leads to obesity. It increases the risk of metabolic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes type 2, dental cavities, early signs of aging on the face, acne, memory loss, brain fog, and reduced immunity. A plant-based diet, regular exercise, and intermittent fasting decrease (sugar-induced) inflammation in the body.
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