High sugar intake has become prevalent in the world today.
You’re heading back home, tired from the days activities. You feel hungry and the first move you make is to grab a quick snack or some other processed foods from the nearest vendor or food store. Well, conducted researches have shown that you need to slow down on that habit.
Processed food products contain great amounts of sugar – enough to dramatically spike calorie levels in the body.
Health professionals advise that our calories be gotten from less than 10% of added sugars. Furthermore, excessive consumption of sugary foods is said to be the leading causative factor of obesity and serious health conditions.
Here are a few reasons why high-sugar intake is bad for your health.
- It can lead to unwanted weight gain
Most sugar-sweetened drinks contain a type of simple sugar, fructose. Taking in fructose can increase a persons desire/hunger for more food. Consuming too much fructose can also lead to a condition of leptin (an hormone that controls regulation of hunger and feelings of fullness) resistance. In essence, sugary foods increase hunger and appetite, making you consume more calories than you intend to. Excess sugars have also been linked to the development of visceral fat accumulation, which can result in serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
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- It can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes
High intakes can lead to obesity and insulin resistance, both of which are known to be strongly associated with the risk type 2 diabetes. When insulin becomes resistant, regulation is affected and blood sugar levels rise – certainly increasing your risk of diabetes.
- It might increase your risk of cancer
You are at risk of certain types of cancer when excess sugary foods control your diet. Obesity, a leading result of high-sugar intake, is associated with heavy cancer risk. Excessive consumption of sugary foods can also cause inflammation and insulin resistance in the body – both are also linked to increased cancer risk.
- High risk of acne development
Refined carbohydrates, including sugary foods and drinks, have high glycemic index. High glycemic index can raise your blood-sugar and spike insulin levels, causing an increase in androgen secretion, inflammation and oil production – all play major roles in acne development.
- Can speed up skin aging process and cause wrinkles
Poor diet can cause the skin to age faster then usual. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are compounds that are formed when protein reacts with sugar in the body. Thus, the more your sugar intake, the more AGEs are production – AGEs production is known to accelerate skin aging and cause wrinkles to form.
The bottom line is that you should reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.