What do tomato sauce, chocolate chip cookies, soft drinks and most breakfast cereals all have in common? These products all contain sugar. This is why it is so unsurprising that over-consumption of refined sugar has been identified as the main cause of obesity and chronic illnesses such as diabetes. It is likely that in every meal or snack throughout the day where we consume processed foods – we are eating sugar without even realizing it. As of March 2019, South Africa has officially been ranked by the World Health Organisation as the unhealthiest country on the planet. The 10 measures used for this ranking were healthy life expectancy, blood pressure, blood glucose (diabetes risk), obesity, depression, happiness, alcohol use, tobacco use, inactivity (too little exercise), and government spending on healthcare. The statistics show that South Africans, between the ages of 30 and 70 have a 26% probability of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer or diabetes. The WHO also found that more than 28% of South African adults are obese - the highest obesity rate among sub-Saharan African countries. The most common cause of obesity is a disruption of what we call energy balance. Simply put, the energy balance equation looks like this: Energy in + Energy used = Body Composition Outcome If your energy in (kilojoules/calories consumed through food and drinks) exceeds your energy used (for daily life and exercise) you will be in an energy positive state causing your body to store the excess energy as fat. If this is your normal state through your life – eventually this positive energy state will lead to being overweight or obese. A very easy way to achieve this positive energy balance is through consuming processed foods with added sugar. The American Heart Association suggests that women and children between the ages of 2 and 18 restrict their added sugar intake to a maximum of 25g/day and men to 37.5g/day. To put that amount in perspective lets look at the sugar content of a few of our favourite foods: As you can see from the table above, the not so sweet truth behind your sweet tooth is that often with one meal or drink you will use up most of or max out your healthy daily sugar limit. If we had to tally up how much sugar we eat on average daily between the sugar in your coffee/tea other beverages and added sugar in processed foods I am sure most of us would be exceeding the limit.
But why is exceeding your recommended sugar intake so bad for you? Besides the fact that it can lead to obesity, here are some of the other reasons: 1. High-sugar diets have been associated with an increased risk for heart disease: Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. High-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels which are all risk factors for heart disease. It was found that in over 30,000 people those who consumed 17–21% of their kilojoules from added sugar had a 38% greater risk of dying from heart disease, compared to those consuming only 8% of kilojoules from added sugar. 2. Diets high in sugary foods and drinks have been associated with developing acne: Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development. A study in 2,300 teens demonstrated that those who frequently consumed added sugar had a 30% greater risk of developing acne. 3. Eating too much sugar increases your risk for developing diabetes: Obesity, which is often caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes. Prolonged high-sugar consumption causes the body to become resistant to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes. Studies have also shown that people who specifically drink sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juice, are more likely to develop diabetes. 4. Over-consumption of sugar increases your risk for developing cancer: With the over-consumption of sugar the risk of developing cancer increases. Sugar consumption increases inflammation in the body which promotes cancer growth. Insulin resistance developed through eating too much sugar also increases your risk for developing cancer. Most of us love sweet things and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it is in the best interest for our health that we keep the sweet tooth at bay and bring some awareness to how much sugar we eat every day. Sweets are treats not food! And a treat is only a treat if it is something we seldomly eat!
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AuthorDanielle Gemeliaris has been dancing for half her life and has always been passionate about food, nutrition and the science behind them. The knowledge she gained through her studies, as a dancer and her experience as a health and wellness coach through Herbalife, has made her uniquely qualified to help dancers better understand nutrition and the role it plays in their lives. She hopes to offer the readers of this blog the opportunity to gain a basic working knowledge of nutrition, the role it plays for dancers and learn how to make better more informed food choices in the future. Archives
April 2019
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