Is your intake of added sugars excessive?

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends reducing your intake of added sugars to less than 5% of your daily calorie intake. We should therefore reduce our consumption of added sugars almost to a minimum, in order not to put our health at risk.

The biggest problem is that the added sugars are everywhere, they are found in products that we would not imagine such as 0% yogurt, breakfast cereals, tomato sauces, juices, and even in sausage. It can therefore be very difficult for us to calculate how much sugar we actually consume. However, there are signs in our bodies that can give us clues that we are consuming too much sugar.

Exhaustion

Normally, most sugar consumption occurs at breakfast, and it can happen that, even if you have had a good night's rest and leave home with enough energy, by mid-morning you start to feel very hungry and by mid-afternoon, you are completely exhausted.

In this case, it is possible that fatigue is related to excessive sugar consumption and that these energy peaks are caused by blood sugar levels. When we eat foods with large amounts of added sugars, we cause a peak in which glucose is very high, but suddenly drops. This significant variation generates a very strong feeling of hunger and desire for sweets, and causes fatigue, even bad mood.

High blood pressure and cholesterol

High salt intake has always been linked to high blood pressure. However, diets high in added sugars are also associated with higher blood pressure. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is time to reduce the intake of added sugars and salt.

On the other hand, the consumption of added sugars also influences the increase in LDL cholesterol, "the bad" cholesterol, which clogs the arteries, and the reduction of HDL, "the good" because they stimulate their synthesis in the liver. A very high cholesterol level can be a sign that we are certainly abusing sugar without even realizing it.

Cavities

Tooth decay is one of the best known signs that our sugar intake is excessive. In fact, cavities appear with carbohydrate intake. Once digested, the bacteria produce an acid that combined with saliva, causes plaque. Poor dental hygiene does the rest. In any case, excessive sugar consumption can increase this risk.

Acne

It has long been thought that acne and the production of pimples on the skin were due to the consumption of fat. The reality is that studies have shown that the most important risk factor for diet is excessive consumption of added sugar. Therefore, if you have more pimples and acne than usual, it may be due to the excess sugar in your diet.