{"id":15731,"date":"2021-09-14T16:25:23","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T16:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alternatech.net\/?p=15731"},"modified":"2021-09-14T16:26:03","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T16:26:03","slug":"20-ways-that-sugar-can-wreak-havoc-on-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/20-ways-that-sugar-can-wreak-havoc-on-your-health\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Ways That Sugar Can Wreak Havoc On Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here are ways sugar is making you sick. From depression to heart disease, the sugar in your diet can damage your health.\n</p><h4>1. Sugar hurts your heart\n</h4><p><img fetchpriority='\"high\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15733 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-1.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-1.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Researchers at Harvard University studied thousands of American adults over the course of 15 years and found those who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories from sugar were, in that time, more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those whose diets included less than 10 percent of added sugar a day. (The worst offenders? Sweetened beverages, grain-based treats, fruit drinks and dairy desserts.)\n</p><h4>2. \u201cNo sugar added\u201d doesn\u2019t mean \u201chealthy\u201d\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15734 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-2.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-2.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>If the label says \u201c100 percent juice,\u201d don\u2019t chug with abandon. Even if the drink has no added sweeteners, its naturally occurring sugars are far more concentrated than you\u2019d find in a piece of fruit. And unlike an orange or apple, which are high in fibre, juice offers empty calories and is of minimal nutritional value.\n</p><h4>3. Excess sugar is linked to dementia\n</h4><p><img decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15735 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-3.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-3.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Researchers at the University of Bath found a molecular link between sugary diets and early Alzheimer\u2019s. The scientists discovered that glycation\u2014a reaction through which glucose affects cells\u2014causes damage to an important enzyme that\u2019s involved in the reduction of abnormal protein buildup in the brain, which is characteristic of the disease.\n</p><h4>4. Sugar won\u2019t make kids hyper\u2026it\u2019s worse than that\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15736 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-4.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-4.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>A meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that sugar does not affect children\u2019s behaviour. \u201cIt may simply be the environment where certain food is being served (i.e., parties) that causes children to be more excitable,\u201d says Andrea D\u2019Ambrosio, a registered dietitian in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont. But it does spike blood pressure and cholesterol. One 2016 study in the journal Obesity showed that reducing young subjects\u2019 sugar consumption for just nine days led to immediate improvements in those areas, as well as blood sugar levels.\n</p><h4>5. Stealth sugar stows away in snacks\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15737 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-5.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-5.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>These five convenience foods may appear to be healthier choices, but they often contain startlingly large amounts of the sweet stuff. Consider homemade alternatives instead:\n</p><ul>\n<li><strong>Smoothies: On average, a medium (473-millilitre) store-bought smoothie contains between 30 and 80 grams of sugar. Instead: Make your own with non-fat milk, half a banana, frozen berries and a sprinkle of omega-3-rich flaxseeds, then add a drop of vanilla extract to bring out the natural sweetness of the milk.\n<li><strong>Trail mix: Conventional wisdom suggests stashing trail mix in your car for a healthy snack on the go, but a quarter cup of a commercial variety can contain 16 or more grams of sugar. Instead: Make your own mix and go heavy on the protein-rich nuts and seeds, lighter on the dried fruit (and nix the chocolate chips altogether).\n<li>Yogurt: A 118-millilitre serving of fruit-flavoured yogurt can contain 13 grams of sugar. If you top it with a quarter cup of store-bought granola, you\u2019re downing another six grams. Instead: Reach for plain Greek yogurt and add your own fresh fruit and nuts. (Greek yogurt offers more protein than the fruity varieties and only a third of the sugar per half-cup serving.)\n</li><li><strong>Oatmeal: Flavoured oatmeal packets may seem like a healthy strategy for busy mornings, but they can contain as many as 12 grams of sugar per serving. (Heaping on another tablespoon of brown sugar adds an extra 12 grams.) Instead: Take the 10 minutes required to cook your own quick oats and add a quarter cup of diced apple and a dash of cinnamon. (Here are eight oatmeal recipes you need to try.)\n<li><strong>Salad dressing: Grabbing a salad for lunch may seem like a savvy dietary choice, but it\u2019s important to know that some bottled dressings, such as French and raspberry vinaigrette, often have four or more grams of sugar per two-tablespoon serving. Instead: Opt for a drizzle of oil and vinegar over your salad.\n\n<h4>6. You\u2019re probably eating twice as much sugar as you should\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15738 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-6.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-6.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>The average Canadian eats the equivalent of 20 bags of sugar in a year\u2014without realizing it. The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends that sugar comprise only 10 percent of an adult\u2019s daily calories, which means each of us should be consuming only 48 grams\u2014slightly more than a bag of Skittles\u2014of added sugar per day, rather than the 100 grams we currently ingest.\n</p><h4>7. Experts fear sugar may kill you sooner\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15739 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-7.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-7.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Laura A. Schmidt, a professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, worries about all the damage sugar is doing to our bodies. That\u2019s why she became lead investigator for UCSF\u2019s SugarScience research site, developed as an \u201cauthoritative source for the scientific evidence about sugar and its impact on health.\n</p><h4>8. Sugar is as bad for your liver as alcohol\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15740 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-8.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-8.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Unlike other forms of sugar, fructose, which occurs naturally in fruit, is processed in the liver. We\u2019re consuming too much of it, thanks to our penchant for foods with added sweeteners, and it\u2019s leading to a rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). One visible red flag: a sugar belly (yes, like a beer belly). Why? The liver breaks down excess fructose into fat globules that travel through the bloodstream and lodge around your midsection and internal organs. And, like the liver damage caused by alcohol, NAFLD causes inflammation and scarring. \u201cIt is one of the leading causes of liver transplants,\u201d Schmidt says.\n</p><h4>9. \u201cHealthier\u201d sweeteners are no better for you\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15741 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-9.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-9.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Those trying to cut down on sugar may be drawn to studies that tout the healing power of honey or the antioxidant benefits of maple syrup. Ignore them, says D\u2019Ambrosio. \u201cAll sugar provides energy in the form of calories but it doesn\u2019t add a significant amount of other nutrients,\u201d she says. \u201cSugar is sugar, so it\u2019s best used in moderation no matter what form it takes.\u201d\n</p><h4>10. Teen boys are the biggest sugar enthusiasts\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15742 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-10.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-10.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>The average Canadian teenage boy each day is consuming 172 grams of sugar per day, according to the Canadian Community Health Survey. (The leading culprit among kids aged 9 to 18? The added sugars in pop.) Excess sugar is linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, cavities and high cholesterol in children, while obesity rates for young people have nearly tripled in the last 30 years, according to the Government of Canada.\n</p><h4>11. Cancer cells are sugar fiends\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15743 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-11.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-11.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>New research from the University of Texas at Dallas shows a link between sugar and squamous cell carcinoma, which is hard to treat and accounts for a quarter of all lung cancers. The study also found that four other types of squamous cell cancer also consume a lot of sugar.\n</p><h4>12. Your pop is literally making you older\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15744 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-12.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-12.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>You age an additional 4.6 years if you drink a 591-millilitre sugary beverage every day. (The effect is comparable to that of being a regular smoker.)\n</p><h4>13. Sugar may keep us up at night\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15745 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-13.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-13.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>A 2016 study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows eating more sugar (along with less fibre and more saturated fat) is associated with lighter, more disrupted and less restorative sleep.\n</p><h4>14. We\u2019re still drinking too much liquid sugar\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15746 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-14.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-14.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Good news: we\u2019re drinking less pop than we were a decade ago. Bad news: we\u2019ve replaced it with options that may be just as unhealthy, says Amanda Nash, a dietitian with the Heart and Stroke Foundation in Winnipeg. A 2017 report from the University of Waterloo found sales of energy drinks increased by 638 percent in the last 12 years, while sales of specialty coffees increased by 579 percent. Energy drinks contain 84 grams of sugar, sports drinks contain about 40 grams, and your average flavoured latte comes in at around 36 grams.\n</p><h4>15. Sugar messes with our cholesterol\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15747 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-15.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-15.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>A 2010 study of 8,495 Americans over 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that as subjects\u2019 added-sugar intake went up, their levels of HDL (good cholesterol) dropped, increasing their risk for cardiovascular disease. The study also found that women in particular who ate more added sugar had higher levels of LDL density (bad cholesterol).\n</p><h4>16. Most packaged foods contain added sugar\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15748 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-16.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-16.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>A Canadian Medical Association Journal study from 2016, which analyzed more than 40,000 packaged foods on the shelves of one of the nation\u2019s biggest retailers, found added sugar in 66 percent of the items.\n</p><h4>17. It\u2019s bad for your BMI\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15749 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-17.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-17.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Researchers from the University of Reading, the University of Cambridge and Arizona State University studied the sugar intake of 1,700 men and women aged 39 to 77 in Norfolk, U.K. According to a study published in 2015, they found that those who ate the most sugar were 54 percent more likely to be overweight (that is, have a BMI over 25)\u2014and were also more likely to have underreported how much of the substance they consumed.\n</p><h4>18. Food labels can hide sugar content\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15750 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-18.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-18.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>At long last, revised nutrition labels for packaged foods are coming to a shelf near you. Look for them on everything from crackers to corn flakes by the end of this year.\n</p><p><strong>What\u2019s changed: All sugars are grouped together. There\u2019s a new % daily value (DV) for total sugars (5 percent of your DV is a little, 15 percent is significant).\n<p><strong>What\u2019s missing: The label doesn\u2019t differentiate between added sugars and naturally occurring ones, so you\u2019ll need to dig around.\n<p><strong>Helpful tip: 4 grams of sugar = 1 teaspoon (A can of Coke contains 40 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons.)\n<h4>19. Beware: you may be eating incognito sugar\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15751 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-19.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-19.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Here are 10 sneaky pseudonyms manufacturers use to fool you into thinking their food isn\u2019t packed with the sweet stuff:\n</p><ul>\n<li>Amazake\n</li><li>Carob powder\n</li><li>Corn syrup\n</li><li>Dextrose\n</li><li>Evaporated cane juice\n</li><li>Fructose\n</li><li>Fruit juice concentrate\n</li><li>High-fructose corn syrup\n</li><li>Honey\n</li><li>Maltose\n\n<h4>20. Sugar takes your breath away\n</h4><p><img loading='\"lazy\"' decoding='\"async\"' class='\"size-full' wp-image-15752 aligncenter src="%5C%22https:%5C/%5C/alternatech.net%5C/wp-content%5C/uploads%5C/2021%5C/09%5C/sugar-damage-your-health-20.jpg%5C%22" alt='\"\"' width='\"1000\"' height='\"750\"' srcset='\"https:\/\/justmetalking.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/sugar-damage-your-health-20.jpg' https: sizes='\"(max-width:'>\n</p><p>Scientists have long suspected a link between sugar-sweetened beverages and asthma. After analyzing data from 146,990 adults in the U.S., they found that, sure enough, adults who downed at least two of these drinks a day were more likely to have respiratory issues.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"</p><p>Here are ways sugar is making you sick. From depression to heart disease, the sugar in your diet can damage your health. 1. Sugar hurts your heart Researchers at Harvard University studied thousands of American adults over the course of 15 years and found those who consumed 25 percent or more of their daily calories\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"Here are ways sugar is making you sick. 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