So, is sugar bad for you?
Well, no, not intrinsically. Sugar isn’t necessarily bad for you on its own. But too much of it can be. Glucose (which is what sugar breaks down into) is a source of energy for your body and your brain. When this glucose is obtained from the breakdown of fruits, vegetables and grains it is used to fuel our brain so we can think, learn and remember.
So, why do we think of sugar as bad? Well, it’s primarily because we’re eating too much of it. And this is mainly because it’s been added to a whole bunch of processed foods, which we often don’t think of as containing sugar. Things like pasta sauce, tomato sauce, potato chips, granola and muesli, packet marinades, carbonated soft drinks (yes, even the ‘healthy’ ones) and especially low-fat foods like yoghurt. This is often because removing the fats from foods can impact upon their taste, so to make them more palatable, food manufacturers add sugar.
Our bodies and brains are designed to cope with this much of a surfeit, and as a result we end up with chronically elevated blood sugar levels, which put us at increased risk of obesity, developing insulin resistance or type-two diabetes.
So, how do you deal? Quite simply, all you need to do is become more aware of how much sugar you’re actually consuming. And this can be done primarily by simple things like reading labels. It’s all about moderation and knowing where extra sugar has been added to foodstuffs, so you can make healthier food choices.
How much sugar is too much?
Aye, there’s the rub. It’s not so much that sugar is bad, but that too much sugar is bad.
The World Health Organisation recommends we should be eating no more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day. That’s about 24 grams. However, a typical Australian is currently consuming more than 60 grams (or 14 teaspoons a day), the typical British man around 63 – 84 grams per day and the average American more than 94 grams per day.
Wowza, right? And this oversupply of sugar is mainly because of our reliance on packaged and processed foods, which often hide sugar under labels like fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, corn syrup, malt syrup, disaccharides, agave or agave syrup, fruit juice concentrate, sorbitol and barley malt.
Hmmm… why all these sneaky names? Well, food manufacturers have gotten wise to the fact that people don’t love their food stuffed with sugar. So presto-change-o, sugar gets a fancy makeover and a bunch of new names. It’s downright devious, when you think about it.
So, should you give up sugar?
No, not necessarily. But you definitely should be aware of how much sugar you are consuming. And make a concerted effort to lower your intake to match the World Health Organisation recommendations that we quoted above (which is 6 teaspoons or 24 grams per day.) Hot tip: to convert grams to teaspoons, just divide by four.
And as for whether you should quit sugar completely. Let’s just say that we’re not going to tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. You’re a grown up. And we’re all about #NoGuilt, remember?
But in saying that, we are going to tell you the scientifically proven side effects of consuming too much sugar. (Too much being any more than the 6 teaspoons per day recommended by the WHO.)
These scientifically proven side effects include:
- Tooth decay and poor dental health
- Increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease
- Decreased immunity and reduced immune system function
- Increased presence of pathogens and bad bacteria (which often feed on excess sugar)
- Increased vitamin and mineral deficiencies especially chromium, which is depleted by excess sugar intake
- Accelerated and premature ageing
- Increased risk of gum disease, which can lead to heart disease
- Reduced cognition (especially in children and young adults)
- Increased stress response, anxiety and irritability
- Reduced intake of other important nutrients
- Low energy levels and general lethargy
- Increased risk of depression
Yep, really. Mind-blowing stuff huh? But it makes sense – sugar is an artificial additive to our diet, so it does follow that our bodies would have trouble processing too much of it and that too much of it may cause imbalances and diseases in the systems of our body.
What are the symptoms of sugar addiction?
Ok, so how do you know if sugar is a problem for you? Well, first and foremost, you should be aware of how much sugar you’re consuming, and if it does exceed the World Health Organisation guidelines, then you should aim to gradually reduce your intake. But there can be other symptoms of sugar addiction too.
- You need more and more sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth
- You hide your sugar consumption or make excuses for it
- You eat sugar even when you’re not hungry
- You always crave sweets, even just after eating them
- You often crave salty foods (a sign of improper or insufficient nutrition)
- You’ve tried to quit but you’ve had withdrawals or unusual symptoms
- You use sugar as an emotional fix or a way to soothe yourself
- You go out of your way to get sugar (yep, we’re looking at you, late night trip to the supermarket for ice cream!)
- You feel guilty about eating sugar or guilty after eating sugar
- You know it’s bad for you but you eat it anyway
Many of these symptoms are common among other addictions or substances too. If you’re not sure if these behaviours are applicable to you, try to think about it this way: would you act like this for spinach or broccoli? Chances are, if the answer is no, then it’s a symptom of a larger issue or addiction.
Does that mean you should give up fruit?
No. Absolutely not. Your brain and body have evolved to use glucose as their primary energy sources. And, as we mentioned before, it’s not the naturally occurring sugars in fruits and vegetables that are the problem for over-consumption of sugar. It’s the added sugars which are primarily found in processed foods and beverages, which need to be cut back or reduced.
Although, in saying that, we do recommend sticking to a maximum of two pieces per day and being aware of how many calories are in the fruit you do choose to eat.
What kind of side effects can giving up sugar cause?
Ahhh yes, the dreaded sugar detox. If you haven’t been there yourself, you probably work with someone who has attempted to quit sugar and suffered the slings, arrows and temper tantrums that come with it. Look, we’ll be honest: a number of studies have found that sugar affects the brain the same way that addictive substances such as nicotine, cocaine, and morphine do. But being aware of the potential side effects of sugar withdrawals can help you to sidestep them with slightly more grace and ease.
Sugar addiction and subsequent withdrawals symptoms are likely to be different for everyone. If, however, you are significantly reducing your sugar consumption or quitting refined sugar completely, be aware that you’re likely to have some of the following side effects, both mental and physical:
- depression, low mood and lack of enjoyment in otherwise pleasurable activities
- anxiety, nervousness, restlessness and irritability
- insomnia, changes in sleep patterns, strange dreams and difficulty staying asleep during the night
- cognitive issues, trouble concentrating and difficulty focusing on tasks such as work or school
- cravings for salty foods, sweet foods and high GI carbohydrates such as rice and pasta
- muscle twitches, shaking and sweating
- headaches
- light-headedness and dizziness
- nausea
- tingling
- fatigue
Will quitting sugar help me lose weight?
Weight loss depends primarily on how many calories you consume and how many calories your body needs, otherwise known as your TDEE. Removing processed and refined sugars from your diet won’t guarantee weight loss, but it is a likely side effect. Sugar is not only calorific, but it’s also highly addictive. So, when you do consume sugar, you tend to crave more of it. You may find that by removing excess sugar from your diet, you lose more weight without trying quite as hard. This is partially because you’re cutting calories from your diet and partially because you’re consuming fewer refined carbohydrates in the form of sugars, which are the main cause of weight gain or excess weight.
What about the alternatives?
We get a lot of questions about alternatives to sugar. And while replacing your sweet treat or swapping sugar out for a slightly-less-bad alternative like agave nectar, xylitol or stevia may seem like a good idea, not all sugar substitutes are created equal. Some are almost as bad as sugar, some come with their own special sets of side effects like increased cancer risk or diarrhoea, and some are a-ok. Based on the advice of our experts, we’ve divided them into three categories below: just as bad, less worse and better.
Just as bad as sugar:
- high fructose corn syrup
- brown rice syrup
- agave nectar
- aspartame (aka Equal or Nutrisweet)
- saccharin (aka Sweet & Low)
- sucralose (aka Splenda)
Less worse:
- brown sugar
- barley malt
- maple syrup
- coconut sugar
- honey
Better:
- stevia
- sugar alcohols or erythritol
- xylitol (aka Natvia)
- molasses
- date sugar
Best:
- real fruit. Simple as that!
So, there you have it MasterFasters – cutting back on your sugar intake could significantly improve your health and make weight loss easier – which can be a big plus for those of us on the final legs of our weight loss journey, because often it’s those last few kilos which are hardest to shift.
Have you ever given up or cut back on sugar? Do you intend to? What differences did you notice as a result? Let us know how you go or how you went in the Members’ Facebook Group. We love hearing from you!