Added Sugars in Food Can Cause Unwanted Weight Gain

Living with excess body fat from eating too much sugar has been linked to cancer, heart disease, COPD and other chronic health conditions. From cupcakes to Asian sauces, sugar is found in many foods and is almost impossible to avoid. Known as sugar addiction, an emotional or psychological dependence on sugary drinks or sugar-laden foods is a cause for concern as the body metabolizes the glucose.

When daytime television host Ellen DeGeneres announced she was going on a sugar cleanse, sugar naysayers jumped on her bandwagon. Although naturally occurring sugars are fine to eat, refined sugars added by food manufacturers are not healthy. Although sugar is not a fat, the excess sugar that you eat is converted to fat and stored as fuel.

• Better Quality of Sleep - When you do not get enough sleep, your hormones go haywire and body is challenged to metabolize glucose, as it should. Getting quality sleep at night can help balance blood sugar levels, so you enjoy a restorative sleep.
• Look and Feel Younger - Sugar causes wrinkles through a process where the sugar molecules bind to and deform two main proteins in the skin. Collagen and elastin make your skin supple and keep you looking your best.
• Good-bye Blues - According to a study at Columbia University Medical Center, ending a bad day with a bowl of cookie dough may make you feel worse in the long haul. Postmenopausal women with diets high in added sugars were at an increased risk of new-onset depression.
• Lose Stubborn Weight - Your body will burn blood glucose to produce energy. Unfortunately, the excess sugar ends up being stored as fat. This is why sugar has such as dramatic affect on weight gain.

A review of sugar research conducted over the past five years concluded dietary intake of more than 150 grams of fructose per day reduces insulin sensitivity and increases the risk of developing chronic conditions like high blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels or diabetes. There are many health consequences to sugar addiction and while it might seem like it should be easy to just stop eating sugar, it is not.

Sugar addiction is one of the most common types of food addiction in our country today. Understanding that any successful journey to end your addiction will take your best effort is one of the most effective ways to fortify your defenses against sugar cravings. If you can refocus your energy to other activities or even thinking about healthy foods, it can give you a way to distance yourself from your sugar addiction.