Are you consuming too much sugar? A sugar-high diet could be having a negative impact on your health. Below are some of the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, along with some of the ways in which you can cut down your intake.

The dangers of too much sugar

Consuming too much sugar can cause all kinds of negative effects on your health. One of the most obvious dangers is tooth decay. Sugar reacts with bacteria within plaque to produce acids, which dissolve enamel. This leads to cavities. Treatments like fillings and dental implants as explained on sites like https://www.dentalmakeovers.com/dental-implants/ may be necessary to combat the decay. If you’ve already had to receive these treatments, consider whether sugar is to blame.

Sugar can also lead to weight gain. Our body does not know what to do with excess amounts of sugar and often turns it into fat as a result of this. This in turn can contribute to diabetes. If you’re overweight or have diabetes, consider whether your sugar intake has played a part.

How to reduce your sugar intake

It’s recommended that you do not consume more than 38 grams of sugar per day (which is about 10 teaspoons). Sugar can be found in all kinds of processed foods nowadays, so you need to be careful when sticking within this limit. There are a few ways in which you can minimize your sugar intake and stay within the 38 gram limit.

Find a substitute for soda

For many of us, soda drinks are the biggest source of sugar in our diets. A single 12 inch can of Coca-Cola contains 39 grams of sugar, which is more than our daily recommended amount. If you’re drinking multiple cans of Coke per day, you could be doing serious harm to your body. There are zero-sugar options which can be healthier, but generally you should try to cut down on soda. Try to drink more glasses of water instead if you can. 

Swap candy for fruits

Candy contains processed sugars, which the body has a harder time knowing what to do with. Fruit still contains sugar, but it’s natural sugar – humans have been eating fruit for thousands of years and so our bodies know how to digest this type of sugar more effectively, converting less of it into fat. When you’ve got a sweet craving, try to opt for fruit instead as it will have a less negative impact on your health than candy. This post https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/how-to-make-fruit-taste-like-candy offers a few tips for making fruit more appealing. 

Explore other sweeteners in hot drinks

If you have your tea or coffee with sugar, this could be contributing to your high sugar intake. Obviously the more hot drinks you’re having throughout the day, the more sugar you’ll be consuming. Instead of using regular table sugar, consider other healthier natural sweeteners which could be less damaging. Honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar and stevia are all healthier options. 

Make sugary snacks a seldom treat

You don’t have to cut sugary snacks like candy, cakes, and soft drinks out of your diet in order to protect your health. Instead, simply limit them to being a small treat. Instead of munching on sweets throughout the day, allow yourself a single small portion in the evening. You could do the same with soft drinks – allow yourself one soft drink per day.