Sugar is fine for you in small amounts, but too much can lead to weight gain, acne, type 2 diabetes, and can increase your risk of several serious medical conditions.
From marinara sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products.
Many people rely on quick, processed foods for meals and snacks. Since these products often contain added sugar, it makes up a large proportion of their daily calorie intake.
In the United States, the average adult consumes an estimated 17 teaspoons of added sugar each day That accounts for 14% of total calorie intake in adults following a 2,000-calorie diet.
Experts believe that sugar consumption is a major cause of obesity and many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes
That’s why dietary guidelines suggest limiting calories from added sugar to less than 10% per day
Here are 11 reasons why eating too much sugar is bad for your health.
1. It Can Cause Weight Gain
Obesity rates are rising worldwide, and evidence suggests that added sugar — often from sugar-sweetened beverages — is a major contributor to obesity
Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices, and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, a type of simple sugar.
Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods
Additionally, animal studies show that excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating
In other words, sugary beverages don’t curb your hunger, making it easy to quickly consume a high number of liquid calories. This can lead to weight gain.
Research shows that consuming sugary beverages is associated with weight gain and increased risk of type 2 diabetes
Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease
