If you look at the nutritional information on many foods, you will often find various names for sugar. Every day, we unconsciously consume more sugar than we actually want. Unfortunately, this often starts with an unhealthy breakfast, such as cereal that is too high in sugar.
Consuming excessive amounts of sugar can have long-term adverse effects on our health and can cause various diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
This article will tell you how much sugar you should consume per day, how to recognize when you are consuming too much sugar, and what you can do to avoid consuming too much sugar.
Why is too much sugar harmful to our body?
Consuming sugar, especially in the form of conventional table sugar, causes our blood sugar level to rise rapidly and, if consumed to excess, can lead to our pancreas no longer being able to produce enough insulin quickly enough.
The function of insulin is to regulate our blood sugar level. With excessive consumption of sugar, type 2 diabetes can develop from over-consumption of sugar. You can find out more about how harmful sugar really is here.
Breakfast without added sugar from Verival
Is all sugar the same?
Of course, not every type of sugar is processed the same by our body. Simple sugars such as dextrose or household sugar, which consists of the two simple sugars fructose and glucose, ensure that our blood sugar level rises quickly. In contrast, complex sugars, which are found in potatoes, bread or legumes, for example, do not cause our blood sugar level to rise as quickly, since the starch they contain must first be processed by our body.
Nevertheless, regardless of the type of sugar, you should be careful not to consume too much sugar. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily sugar intake of about 25g of free sugar per day. But how do you know if you are really consuming too much sugar?
The first warning signs from your body that you are consuming too much sugar
If you consume too much sugar in the short or long term, your body will send you various warning signs and you may experience a range of different symptoms. Do you feel constantly tired? Do you feel like eating something again? Are you often sick? Is your skin dry and are you often thirsty? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you should take a closer look at your sugar consumption. Here is an overview of the seven warning signs that your body is giving you that indicate excessive sugar consumption:
- You are constantly hungry.
- You have tooth decay.
- You are often thirsty.
- You have skin issues and blemished skin.
- You often have headaches or migraines.
- You have a weak immune system and are often sick.
- You often have digestive issues.
A constant feeling of hunger
If you eat a lot of foods that are very high in sugar, this leads to a constantly elevated blood sugar level. When the blood sugar level is constantly elevated, the glucose cannot enter the cells. Since the glucose does not reach the cells, the brain does not receive a signal from the cells that they have been supplied with food. As a result, our brain continues to send the signal that we still need energy, which leads to us continuing to feel hungry.
Caries
Even as a child, we often learn that too much sugar is bad for our teeth and promotes caries. Caries can therefore also be an indication of high sugar consumption, since the sugar is converted into acid, which attacks the tooth enamel.
You often feel thirsty
When you consume too much sugar, your body tries to get rid of the excess sugar. One way in which the balance is restored is that you often have to go to the toilet. This creates a fluid deficiency in your body and your body therefore sends you the signal that you are thirsty so that it is supplied with fluid.
Various skin issues and blemished skin
As already mentioned, too much sugar can cause your body to become dehydrated. Another consequence of this deficiency can be not only frequent thirst, but also dry skin. In addition, excessive consumption of sugar can also lead to skin blemishes, pimples and inflammation. This is because the sugar that the body can no longer process binds to the proteins collagen and elastin.
These two proteins are responsible for keeping our skin healthy and firm. However, when sugar binds to proteins, it prevents them from doing their job, which can lead to blemishes, pimples or inflammation under the skin.
Frequent headaches
Various case reports and studies show that people who suffer from migraines in particular benefit from a low-sugar diet and that the number of migraine attacks can be reduced. A reduction in sugar is also said to have a positive effect on other types of headaches.
Weak immune system
If you are often sick, it may be because you eat too much sugar. This is because sugar can affect and weaken our immune system. In addition, our diet and the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it contains are an important building block for a strong immune system. Foods that are high in sugar are also not particularly nutritious for our body, which of course does not have a positive effect on our immune system.
Indigestion
Your digestion can also suffer from excessive sugar consumption. Among other things, excessive consumption can lead to changes in the intestinal flora, which can significantly affect digestion. It can therefore also lead to bloating, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea.
If you recognize one or more of these symptoms, you should take a closer look at your diet, your food and your meal plan. We will now give you 5 helpful tips that you can implement quickly and easily to reduce your sugar consumption.
What can I do if I eat too much sugar? Helpful measures to combat high sugar consumption
Regular meals
If you suspect or know that you consume too much sugar, the first thing you should do is work on your diet. Make sure you eat regularly to strengthen your digestion.
Low-sugar, nutrient-rich diet
You should also make sure that your diet is as low in sugar as possible and that you eat foods that are high in nutrients. Eating lots of vegetables and small amounts of fruit plays an important role in a healthy diet. You should also include complex carbohydrates with a high fiber content in your diet. In particular, oats, potatoes or wholemeal bread are a good choice because they cause blood sugar levels to rise more slowly. You can easily integrate complex carbohydrates into your breakfast in the form of oats by eating a filling oat porridge. The delicious Verival porridges without added sugar are a healthy hot breakfast.
Porridge without added sugar from Verival
Drink more water
Sweetened drinks, lemonades or soft drinks often contain large amounts of sugar and are hidden calorie traps and sugar bombs. If you often drink sugary drinks, you can easily reduce your daily sugar intake by replacing them with water or unsweetened tea.
Create a weekly plan and meal prep
A weekly plan can also help you to reduce your sugar intake, as you can plan your meals and avoid unnecessary sugary snacks. You can also prepare your meals in advance. For example, you can prepare your meals for the week on Sunday and then simply store them in the fridge. This way, you have your meals already prepared during the week and just need to take them with you to work, school or university and enjoy. Our porridges are also available in practical single portions, so you can take your healthy hot breakfast with you anywhere.
Natural sugar alternatives – the solution to excessive sugar consumption?
Even though sugar alternatives are said to be better than conventional household sugar, natural sugar alternatives should also be used sparingly. However, various natural sugar alternatives can be a good alternative to conventional household sugar. You can find out more about the various options for replacing sugar here.
