While I’m not denying anyone a sweet treat once in a while, it’s important for our health to limit sugar intake.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, on average, Americans eat 20 teaspoons every day[i]. Compare that to 100 years ago, when we ate 4.6 teaspoons a day.[ii]
Given this information and reading the labels on your foods, it’s probably pretty easy to know if you’re eating too much sugar.
But what does your body say? Here are some signs that you should cut back on the sweet stuff.
- Being more hungry, but feeling less satisfied by your meals
- Getting “hangry” if you don’t eat often enough
- Feeling fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating or memory issues
- Getting shaky between meals
- Craving sweets
- Weight gain
All of these are indicators that blood sugar is not being well-regulated.
Additionally, excess sugar consumption increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It can disrupt both sleep patterns and the microbiome, which can cause an entire cascade of other issues, including increased inflammation and decreased immunity.[iii]
So yeah, it tastes good, but really, we need to be conscious consumers.
What to do?
- Reduce the amount of refined sugars you eat
- Reduce the amounts of processed foods you eat (this step alone will reduce your sugar intake)
- Increase your intake of real, whole, unprocessed foods
- Eat on a regular schedule. Some people will need to eat more frequently to avoid the signs listed above, but as the body gets more efficient at managing blood sugar, that should pass.
If the sugar cravings overwhelm you, or if you don’t quite know where to start, join my FREE 5 Day Sugar Detox Challenge. You’ll get support, encouragement, and accountability for making changes in your diet and in your life.
[i] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/obesity-sugar-and-heart-health
[ii] https://www.thediabetescouncil.com/45-alarming-statistics-on-americans-sugar-consumption-and-the-effects-of-sugar-on-americans-health/
[iii] https://www.metagenicsinstitute.com/blogs/added-sugar-intake/
