Health Risks Of Consuming Too Much Sugar And The Addiction It Can Cause

Do you know that your brain sees sugar as a reward, which makes you keep wanting more of it? Do you know that you don’t need sugar as much as you think you do? In fact, your taste buds can be trained to enjoy things that aren’t as sweet.

People don’t see sugar as dangerous as other white powders, but indeed, they just underrate this substance. Sugar is a highly addictive crystalline. Foods containing sugar are very desirable due to the powerful impact sugar has on the reward system in the brain called the mesolimbic dopamine system. Neurons in this system release the neurotransmitter called dopamine, which is like a response to a rewarding event. This brain system gets hijacked in the same way by sugar as it gets by drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and nicotine.

The more sugar you eat, the more you’ll crave it. Sugar addiction is a real thing and a lot of people are not even aware they are addicted to sugar. Addiction is a condition in which a person engages in the use of a substance for which the rewarding effects provide a compelling incentive to repeatedly pursue the behavior despite detrimental consequences.

One of the most challenging aspects of an addiction is to be aware you have it and accept the fact that you are struggling with it. Just like any other addict, sugar addicts stay in denial of their problem, justifying their sugar intake as something natural and common. Sugar increases the risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. It is on top of the list for so many health issues. Here are a few signs you’d notice in your body if you’re eating too much sugar and risk being addicted to it:

1. You crave sugary things constantly

2. Your skin breaks out continually

3. Throughout the day you feel inactive

4. You’ve noticed more cavities

5. After having your meals you notice your brain getting foggy

6. You experience mood swings

7. Nothing tastes as sweet as it once did

8. You’ve put on weight

Eating too much sugar is bad for your health and it can lead you to several health issues. When you eat sugary foods, the extra insulin in your bloodstream can affect your body’s circulatory system, more specifically your arteries. Eating less sugar according to researchers can help to lower your blood pressure which is a major risk for heart disease. Below we are listing for you some reasons why consuming too much sugar is dangerous for your health:

1. It increases the risk for a heart disease

2. Has been linked to acne

3. Increases the risk for diabetes

4. Causes weight gain

5. Increases the risk of cancer

6. Can cause depression

7. Speeds up the skin aging process

8. Drains your energy

9. Leads to fatty liver

One of the main culprits of obesity is thought to be added sugar found especially in sugar-sweetened beverages and foods. Sugary beverages and foods don’t curb your hunger; they just make sure you consume a high number of liquid calories in a quicker way. There are many studies which have shown that people who consume these kinds of products weight more than those who don’t. Weight gain and visceral fat accumulation are real when consuming a lot of sugar.

If you want to reduce the intake of added sugar then we suggest you start changing some habits when it comes to the way you feed yourself and the products you use. All change starts with simple steps. Breaking a habit requires patience and persistence. Identify your triggers and deal with them by developing a substitute plan. You’re going to have cravings. You’re going to have withdrawal symptoms, just like any other addiction causes. But, at the end of the day, you’ll feel happy about the changes you are going to make in your life. It’s better to prevent than to cure.

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Food is important for us because that’s where we get our energy from. The human body needs several nutrients, protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals to stay healthy and productive. The quote You are what you eat stands because describes the simplest formula ever: If you eat good, you will feel and be healthy. If not, you will get diseases and feel bad. There’s nothing compared to the joy and satisfaction you get after eating a healthy meal.

Start with baby steps. Replacing one product after another with a healthier one. For example, when it comes to liquids, instead of swap sodas, energy drinks, juices, and sweetened teas, you can drink water or unsweetened seltzer. It’s very important you stay hydrated throughout the day. Try sweetening your coffee and tea with a natural sweetener like Stevia. Black coffee is more recommended. Instead of buying flavored sugar-loaded yogurts, sweeten plain yogurt with fresh or frozen berries. Berries are very healthy as they are packed with antioxidants and are great sources of fiber.

Fruit, nuts and dark chocolate which contains a higher percentage of cocoa are better than candies and other chocolates. Try to avoid, little by little, alcoholic beverages that are sweetened with soda, juice, honey, sugar or agave. Consume more fruits and vegetables. Sour and bitter foods help reduce sugar addiction. It all goes down to changing your habits. Habits make us who we are. Don’t you want to be a better version of yourself? We bet you do. Good luck, dears. Feel free to leave your thoughts in our comments’ section about this article. We care to know about your feedback.