Are you consuming too much sugar? The answer is probably yes. Even if you’re super conscious about how many sweet things you eat or drink, just look at the label of any item in your pantry or fridge and you’ll likely find it has higher than recommended doses. And yes, that includes things that don’t seem sugary on the surface like baked goods, condiments, sauces, and other prepackaged foods and drinks.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from added sugars in a healthy, balanced diet. That can add up quickly, so what are the risks associated with too much sugar in the body?
“Excessive consumption of sugar, not only white table sugar but also hidden sugars, can increase the risk of developing serious diseases,” says Serena Missori, a medical surgeon, endocrinologist, diabetologist, an expert in biotyped functional nutrition, and the author of the book The Blood Sugar and Insulin Diet with the Missori-Gelli Method.
When it comes to added sugar, such as sweetening your coffee, Missori recommends no more than one or two teaspoons a day. But if you worry that you might be exceeding that, your body does send a few signals that its’ time to reduce consumption. Below are some signs that there’s too much sugar in the body, according to the expert.
5 signs that there’s too much sugar in the body
1. Exaggerated cravings for sweets
“If too many carbohydrates or simple sugars are consumed, it triggers a phenomenon called ‘carb craving,’ which leads to cravings for more and more sugary foods,” says Missori. “This happens when sugar is absorbed through insulin and blood sugar levels drop rapidly, causing hypoglycemia. As a result, the body seeks more sugar to compensate for this drop.”
2. Weight gain
Insulin can promote weight gain, so if it’s being produced in excess—from consuming too much sugar, for example—that can lead to insulin resistance. According to Missori, this in turn facilitates and accelerates gaining weight. “This imbalance can also cause sudden drops in energy,” the expert says. “High blood sugar levels can damage the body’s proteins through a process called glycosylation, which reduces the function of organs and systems and impairs their efficiency.”
3. Accelerated skin aging
Excessive sugar consumption also has negative effects on the skin. Missori says excess glucose triggers a process called glycation, which leads to the formation of compounds called AGEs (Advanced Glycation End products). “These substances inflame cells and degrade the two proteins that are essential for keeping skin supple and soft, such as elastin and collagen,” the expert says. “It doesn’t end there: Excess sugar accelerates skin aging, promoting oxidation and loss of elasticity. High levels of insulin can also cause the appearance of dark spots and skin folds.”
4. Fatigue and mood swings
“Sugar is the main fuel of our cells, so an adequate amount ensures good energy levels,” says Missori. “If sugar levels are too low, energy is in short supply. Conversely, if blood sugar is too high but insulin is not working properly, we can still feel tired, despite an abundance of blood sugar, with mood swings and sudden states of sluggishness and fatigue.”
5. A tightened gut
Excessive sugar consumption not only causes a rapid rise in blood sugar and the rapid release of insulin, but it also compromises gut balance. This imbalance also alters the gut microbiota over time, which can lead to dysbiosis—a.k.a. the prevalence of harmful bacteria over beneficial ones. Some of the most common symptoms of dysbiosis are various digestive disorders like abdominal bloating, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, and a feeling of heaviness after meals. The consequences of dysbiosis are many. “In addition to reducing the gut’s ability to absorb essential nutrients, it weakens the immune system,” says Missori. “It worsens the overall health of the body.”
A version of this article was previously published in La Cucina Italia.
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