If you’ve noticed an increase in your sugar intake since your first binge, you’re not alone. With stress and sadness on the rise at the same time, people across the country seem to be looking to sugary foods for short-term comfort. According to Public Health England, sales of alcoholic beverages will increase by 27.6 percent in 2020, and sales of sugary foods by 11.5 percent.
Sugar and refined carbohydrates are considered “empty calories” and the main thing is that they do not contain any useful substances. However, cutting back on sugar may not be as simple as leaving chocolate on the shelf. Some foods that are high in sugar are highly processed and sweeteners are added to make them tastier and more appealing. These sugars aren’t easy to spot, and are often the worst offenders in foods marketed as “healthy” or low-fat. In some cases, ready-made meals can contain up to 12 teaspoons of sugar, six in a can of cola, and three in a cup of dry bran.
- Early aging
Excessive sugar consumption can cause long-term damage to skin proteins, collagen and elastin, leading to premature wrinkles and aging. Too much sugar can affect a woman’s menstrual hormone imbalance, causing acne along the jawline. Sugar is a favorite food for gut bacteria and yeast, and consuming too much of it can imbalance the gut flora and cause inflammation in the body, which often manifests itself in skin conditions like eczema. - Constant passion
Sugary foods are addictive and provide a quick “fix” that tempts us again and again. Similar to addictive drugs, foods high in sugar have been shown to activate reward pathways in the brain by releasing dopamine. Chromium in the nutrient helps to restore normal insulin function, and the supplement contributes to maintaining normal blood glucose levels and reduces cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. Try Lepicol Starter, a supplement that contains seven types of live bacteria, chromium, glucomannan, and psyllium husks to increase satiety and promote healthy bowel movements. - Low power
Glucose is essential for the body’s energy production, but it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels balanced instead of experiencing the peaks and troughs that occur when you eat sugary snacks. After consuming sugar, the pancreas releases insulin to help move glucose into the cells, which means we’ll feel a burst of energy. Once we’re done, we lose energy because the body needs more sugar to start the cycle again. It’s not hard to imagine that the higher the sugar peak, the greater the sugar crash. - Unexplained bloating
Unwanted bacteria and fungi cause gas in the colon when it ferments undigested food. Bad bacteria are especially fond of sweets, while beneficial bifidobacteria, which love vegetables, are said not to produce gas. Excessive flatulence can cause pain, bloating, and flatulence after eating. - Weakened immunity
Did you know that 70 percent of our immune system resides in the gut and is supported by beneficial gut bacteria? Therefore, it is important to maintain a good bacterial balance. However, a diet high in sugar can feed unwanted bacteria and yeast, which in turn can affect immune system function. - Insomnia
Eating sugary foods late at night can cause us to lose energy at a time when we should be focusing on preparing our bodies for rest. Our “happiness hormone” serotonin is mainly produced in the gut and is essential for the production of melatonin – the “relaxation” hormone – which helps us sleep well at night. If you suffer from insomnia, reducing the amount of sugar in your diet can help your gut feel better. - Weight gain
Glucose is the body’s main source of energy, but if it is not used directly for energy, the body stores it as fat in the liver, muscles, or midsection. Glucose storage worked well when we were hunter-gatherers, but nowadays food shortages are rare, so we store more glucose in the midsection as fat.
