September 2019 - Issue # 070 - What Happens When You Eat Too Much Sugar?

Hi All and Welcome Back

Have you ever wondered what happens when you eat too much sugar.

Eating too much sugar can happen so easily because almost every food contains sugar (even healthy fruits contain a type of sugar).

In fact, meats and oils are about the only foods that do not contain sugar and of course manufactured products that are specifically made to be sugar free.

Sugar is highly addictive and I have to stop and ask myself at times, am I addicted to sugar?

Wouldn’t be hard, especially in the summer months of high heat, it’s so easy to enjoy a bowl of ice cream or a refreshing (sugary) beverage on a daily basis.

It’s easy to recognize the sweet treats that are high in sugar, but there are many foods that contain some sugar, which we may not even think of as containing sugar at all.

Many foods such as cereals, yogurt, bread, milk, hot dogs, cured meats, spaghetti sauce, canned soups, some oatmeal brands and even condiments such as ketchup and salad dressings will contain some sugar.

So the huge problem today is not that are diets contain sugar, but it’s the enormous amount of sugars that we are eating.

Beverages can be our biggest sugar contributor in our daily diet.

Most drinks are loaded with sugar and yes that includes fruit juices. The safest and healthiest beverage is water which contains no calories and helps detox our bodies.

Coffee and teas that are left in their natural state with no added sugar, creams or milks are also sugar free and today supermarkets offer a plethora of zero calorie beverages that are made to help reduce our sugar intake.

Too Much Sugar Can Cause Many Negative Health Issues

When we consume too much sugar on a constant basis, we can develop heart disease, diabetes, obesity and a lowered immune response which hinders the body’s capabilities to fight off disease and inflammation.

So before doing a sugar detox or changing your diet, it is important to know which foods offer healthier sugars and which foods we should try to limit or avoid.

Healthier sources of sugar can come from:

Fruit

Vegetables

Whole Grain Products

Natural Sweeteners

Dairy Products

Bad Sugar Sources Come From:

Processed foods

Refined foods

Greatly altered foods

Too much bad sugar on a continual basis can cause the following health risks:

Sugar offers no nutrients and only adds empty calories to your diet. This is why sugar causes weight gain and obesity in so many children and adults.

Eating too much sugar impairs the immune system making it harder for your body to fight off bacteria, viruses and illness.

May contribute to diabetes by elevating blood sugars. A diet high in sugar and other refined carbohydrates can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Sugar is bad for our teeth and the major cause of tooth decay.

Too much sugar may overload the liver and in some cases can even cause fatty liver disease.

A diet high in sugar may increase your risk of developing heart disease.

Processed foods which are high in sugar can create unwanted inflammation in the body.

So if we tend to eat a fair share of the "bad sugars" then it's a great idea to do a sugar detox to help cleanse the body, boost the immune system and increase your energy levels.

How to do a Sugar Detox by Dr. Hyman:

According to Dr. Hyman, the more sugar you eat the more you crave.

Luckily it only takes 10 days to break a sugar habit.

Here are the steps you need to take to succeed:

First decide to make the change in your life.

That's right. Decide to stop eating sugar

Quit cold turkey

Stop eating all forms of (bad) sugar, artificial sweeteners and flour. (Remember this is only for 10 days)

Also don't drink your calories. Eliminate sodas, sport drinks, sweetened teas and coffees, and juices.

Eat protein at every meal, such as lean meats, eggs and nuts. This will help curb your sugar cravings. Protein is great as it keeps you feeling full longer and doesn't make your blood sugar spike.

Eat only non-starchy vegetables.

Quit gluten and dairy for these 10 days

Try to achieve 8 hours of sleep nightly

The link below is the video by Dr. Hyman to help achieve your sugar detox:

Dr. Hyman Sugar Detox

Conclusion:

Once you finish your sugar detox it is a good idea to incorporate foods into your diet that offer healthier sugars and avoid foods that contain bad sugars.

The bottom line is that refined sugar provides empty calories. It is a stimulant and not a nutrient that can be found in many products such as sodas, chocolate, candy, chips, baked goods and processed foods.

When you consume more calories than your body needs it begins to turn and store it as fat adding on unwanted weight.

Indulge a Little:

A little sweet treat now and then isn’t going to hurt. Everything in moderation is key.

The main goal is to try and consume healthier calories whenever possible and limit the useless ones that only cause weight gain.

Hope you’re all having a wonderful labor day weekend. Till next time....

If you have an opinion or would like to share a story with us we would love to hear from you.

Use our Contact Us page - or our Weight Loss News page (Your Story Counts).