People around the world are eating more sugar than ever before; that is because the food industry has been adding more of it to various products over the years. For example, one tablespoon of ketchup contains around one teaspoon sugars, and a can of soda contains up to ten teaspoons of sugar. Even if you eat a relatively healthy diet with limited desserts, you are still likely eating more sugar than in the past and therefore your palate has become conditioned to prefer sweeter foods and beverages.
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In 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a guideline that recommends adults and children to reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. In order to maintain optimal health, people should consume no more than ten teaspoons of sugar per day; this guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.
According to latest studies; researchers point out that too much sugar not only leads to gaining weight, it also destructs the liver, messes with the metabolism, impairs brain function, and may lead to vulnerable heart disease, diabetes, even cancer. Moreover, sugar negatively affects body energy, the immune system, hormones, and inflammatory markers. Key nutrients, such as magnesium and calcium, can also be lost by consuming refined sugars.
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Although many people like sweets, and would likely choose chocolate cake over fruit for dessert, this does not mean they are sugar addicts. However, there is a small percentage of people that may truly become addicted; they have addiction signs such as sugar craving, losing control, and eating more than planned. When researchers have performed brain scans on subjects eating something sweet, they have seen what resembles the mind of a drug addict. When tasting sugar, the brain lights up in the same regions as it would with alcohol; this is because dopamine, which is in charge of our pleasure-reward system, spikes and reinforces the desire to have more.
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In a newly-released study, children who cut added sugars from their diets for just nine days showed dramatic improvements in cholesterol and blood sugar levels. If you think that you have a sugar consumption problem, you can start by gradually decreasing your sugar consumption in your daily drinks; substitute sugary snack with a healthy one; eat lots of vegetables and maybe even some fruit; do not keep sweets in your reach so it does not encourage you; and above all, always remind yourself how hard it was to beat the sugar addiction and how much better you feel for it.
References
who.int
time.com
eatthis.com
webmd.com
livescience.com
sciencedirect.com