Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Consider what you ate and drank today. A typical day may include coffee for breakfast, a sandwich on your way to work, a hearty meal with coworkers at lunch, and Chinese takeout for dinner.

Most foods these days include sugar added to improve the taste. In fact, sugar creeps its way into even the most unexpected food items. You may not realize it but sugar intake has many repercussions for your health.

This is the reason why medical professionals are encouraging people to reduce their sugar intake. But why should you do it? How can sugar affect your body? Yeast and bacteria feed on the sugar in your body, so glucose only leads to more infections and bacteria buildup.

Additionally, sugar intake is also linked to low good cholesterol and high blood pressure. This can make you vulnerable to stroke, heart attack, and other heart diseases. We have an article you might be interested in to read about living long and well. Your excess sugar intake can cause your blood sugar to increase, which can lead to diabetes Additionally, it is also linked to Alzheimer's disease.

It Can Cause Tooth Decay

Everybody wants to have a great smile. However, that's not possible with tooth decay. Sugar will only increase your risk of developing cavities. When the bacteria in your mouth comes in contact with sugar, it produces acid. This acid attacks your teeth and can form a cavity. Cavities can be unattractive and painful. So if this is something you want to avoid, do not just think of consistently brushing your teeth; watch your sugar intake as well.

It Can Make You Crash

Although ingesting sugar is a great way to make you feel energized, this sense of energy is only temporary. This is because your body burns through sugar faster than carbohydrates and protein. In the long run, this source of energy is not sustainable.

It Can Lead to Depression

You may not realize it, but sugar intake is linked to anxiety and depression. It can affect your body's ability to cope with stress and its ability to produce dopamine and other mood-boosting chemicals.

It Can Hamper Learning

Sugar can impede your mental functions. It can make it harder for you to memorize, focus, and remember the past. It can even produce brain fog. Additionally, sugar also affects your cognitive abilities and attention-span. If you want to sharpen your memory, it is important to cut sugar from your diet.

It Creates Dependency

In some ways, sugar acts like a drug. This is exactly why you crave sweet snacks every now and then. Every time you eat sugar, your body releases dopamine. Your body cannot distinguish unnatural sugar from processed healthy foods and natural sugar from fruit, milk, and honey. This is why eating too much sugar can alter the way your brain produces dopamine, which will only lead to dependency.

It Can Make You Age Fast

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. All the moisturizers and sunscreens that you put on your skin will be for nothing if you do not watch your sugar intake. Aside from affecting your body's internal composition, sugar can also lead to sagging and wrinkles. When the sugar goes into your bloodstream, it attaches to your proteins and makes your skin lose elasticity.

It Can Affect Your Sleep

You are more likely to have a good night's sleep if you avoid sugar. By ditching sugar, you can feel more relaxed.