Sugar is naturally present in foods containing carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, pulses, grains and dairy. Including these wholesome foods in your daily diet is perfectly alright as these give your body time to regulate the sugars more effectively because of slower digestion. However, sugar becomes a culprit when it is used in processed foods to enhance flavour or used as a preservative to prolong shelf life.  

If you read the nutritional information on foods like cereals, soft drinks, juices, flavoured yoghurts etc., added sugar is expected. But did you know, that some foods contain sugars where you least expect it, these include ready to eat soup powders, breads, ketchups, sauces and spreads. These everyday foods can increase your overall sugar intake subtly.  

But why is added sugar bad for you? 

Blood sugar fluctuations and addiction. 

Imbalanced meals or leaving long gaps between meals cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate often leading to cravings and mood swings which triggers false hunger cycles.  You tend to crave a low nutrient, sugar rich treat which makes you addicted to sugar. Initially this sugar surge gives a ‘pick-me-up’ and makes you feel better, but give a couple of hours and the results are the opposite. A lack of fiber causes blood sugars to fall rapidly leading to anxiety and cravings and the cycle repeats. On the contrary, people who avoid consuming products with added sugar/ sugary treats reports stable energy levels. This is why a whole fruit is better than a tetra packed juice, the fiber is protective and releases energy in a slow and sustained way. 

Increased risk of obesity 

Most of the food that contains added sugar has low nutritive value and provides empty calories. 

If you observe a food label of commercial beverages, the most common sweetener used would be fructose and its derivatives. This is also the main component of starchy foods. According to a study (1), it is found that, consuming fructose on a regular basis increases craving for high fructose foods when compared to glucose. In our bodies, fructose doesn’t convert into glucose which doesn’t raise blood sugar levels. This causes lack of insulin release or leptin hormone release which doesn’t signal your brain that you are full leading to excess calorie intake and hunger. (2). 

On the long run, consumption of sugary beverages and starchy foods increase body weight unhealthily and cause visceral fat accumulation. This trend is dangerous as it could lead to lifestyle related disorders such as diabetes and heart disease. (3). 

Impact on heart health 

A study published in 2014 reports that there is a 38% increased risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases in people whose 17-21% calorie intake is from added sugar when compared to those who got only 8% of calories from added sugar (4) concluding that a higher sugar intake, puts one at risk of developing heart disease. 

Added sugar increases inflammation, leading to elevated blood pressure and triglyceride levels, which are the prominent markers of heart disease. 

Compromises immunity 

Sugar increases inflammation in the body and lowers the performance of white blood cells (which are the body’s defence mechanism), leading to increased susceptibility towards viral and bacterial infections (5). 

Accelerates cellular and skin ageing 

Telomeres are found at the end of chromosomes and act as protective caps to prevent deterioration. These telomeres shorten in length as we grow older causing cells to age. However, studies suggest that increased sugar intake speeds up this process leading to premature cell ageing (6).  

Food high in sugars also produce advanced glycation end products (AGE’s) which damage collagen leading to wrinkles and sagging (7). 

How much sugar do we actually need? 

Indian dietetic association recommends 6 teaspoons of sugar or 10% of daily calorie intake from sugars every day (9). However, an average man consumes 10 teaspoons of sugar every day which is way more than the suggested upper limit. 

Here’s how you can cut back on the added sugar. 

• Replace those sodas/ sugar laden beverages with water, unsweetened lime juice, herbal teas, infused water etc. 

• Opt for fresh fruit, home-made curd with fruits and spices like cinnamon/ nutmeg, a handful of dates instead of candied fruits/ flavoured yoghurts/ granola bars/ sugar dense deserts/ mithai. 

• Use fresh herbs and condiments instead of sauces and spreads. 

• Eat whole foods like whole grains, millets instead of refined foods like bread, pasta 

• Choose whole/ unprocessed breakfast options like whole/ steel cut oats, unflavoured muesli instead of cornflakes, energy bars, flavoured oats/ muesli/ granola etc. 

High sugar intake negatively affects health. Apart from the common global health conditions like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, heart diseases and hormonal imbalance, excess intake of sugar laden foods causes other dangerous health conditions like chronic fatigue, dental issues etc. For these reasons, sugar should be used judiciously, we need to focus more on clean eating by including more wholesome, fresh foods. 

References 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4443321/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23493533/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23612318/ 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/the-sweet-danger-of-sugar 

https://maxliving.com/healthy-articles/how-sugar-affects-your-immune-system/ 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4326908/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28420091/ 

https://www.atkins.com/how-it-works/library/articles/10-ways-sugar-harms-your-health 

http://idaindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/National-newsletter-December-2018.pdf