Are you constantly tired and your skin is covered in impurities? These are just two of several warning signs that indicate excessive sugar consumption. Read here what other reactions your body may have that indicate excessive sugar consumption.
A cookie here, a cocktail there and a chocolate bar for in between. We all know that these treats are real sugar bombs.
Unfortunately, there is also a lot of white sweetener hidden in many foods that we don’t suspect. Salad dressings and fruit juices are just two examples when it comes to treacherous sugar traps.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), we should not consume more than 50 grams of sugar for a daily energy intake of 2,000 calories. Sounds like a lot? Not really.
Depending on the situation, this recommendation can be exceeded with just two glasses of orange juice. These secret sugar bombs can not only lead to obesity, but in the long term, and in the worst case, lead to diabetes and heart disease.
So that it doesn’t get to that point, the body usually provides information in advance. The following symptoms could already be warning signals from your body:
Products with a high sugar content can weaken our immune system. High sugar consumption is usually associated with a diet that is poor in nutrients. This makes it more difficult for our body to develop a protective mechanism against colds and viruses.
The result? We are much more susceptible to infections and get sick more quickly.
Tip: the simpler the products, the better. So whenever possible, choose whole foods such as whole grains and unprocessed fruit and vegetables instead of ready-made products. This will provide your body with the substances it needs.
When the afternoon slump hits us again, a bar of chocolate is the savior in an emergency, a real energy kick. But the high is only short-lived, and shortly afterwards you feel weak and listless again. And the concentration? That’s gone too.
No wonder – because sugar causes our blood sugar levels to skyrocket and then plummet just as quickly. In addition, regular consumption sets in motion a cycle through which the body literally demands sugar for an energy boost.
That’s why it’s more difficult to give up sweets if you eat them regularly. The craving spiral is inevitable.
As harsh as it may sound, the only solution is to rely on cookies
Do you often suffer from flatulence, diarrhea or constipation? If your intestines are regularly acting up, increased sugar consumption may also be to blame.
If there is too much sugar, our intestinal flora can become unbalanced more quickly, which not only manifests itself in the form of unpleasant digestive problems, but also has negative effects on our immune system.
It was taught to us in childhood that we get tooth decay from too much cola and gummy bears. Of course, this still applies today.
Because anyone who eats a lot of sugar puts a lot of strain on their teeth. For example, if we don’t brush our teeth after drinking a cola, they remain exposed to the sugar environment in the mouth. The sugar is converted there into acid, which attacks tooth enamel and promotes tooth decay.
Just like our intestines, our skin also rebels when we consume more sugar. The reason? Normally collagen and elastin keep our skin looking firm and healthy.
If we eat too many sweets, our body can no longer process the sugar properly. The sugar then binds to these proteins, which can no longer carry out their task properly. This shows up in the form of inflammation, skin blemishes, pimples or acne. In addition, skin elasticity decreases and wrinkles and cellulite appear more frequently.
Bacteria feel right at home in an environment rich in sugar. Because there they are optimally nourished and can reproduce better. Women with high blood sugar levels are therefore often more susceptible to bladder or fungal infections.
We are aware that salt dehydrates our bodies and that after eating a packet of popcorn we want to drink half a litre of water in one go.
A similar phenomenon also occurs with sugar. Because the more of it we have in the blood, the more our body tries to get rid of it in order to regain balance. One way he does this is with the help of urine.
In concrete terms, this means that we have to go to the toilet more often, and each time we lose water. Our body then alerts us to this lack of fluid and responds with a feeling of thirst.
When the weather turns up and down, you can be in a bad mood. Or maybe it’s because we ate too much while watching Netflix in the evening?
The human brain works best when it is always supplied with approximately the same amount of sugar.
If we go overboard again, not only our blood sugar levels become unbalanced, but also our mental well-being. In the worst case, frequent sugar consumption can also promote depression and anxiety.
The original for this article “Eight surprising signs that you are eating too much sugar” comes from Schweizer Illustrierte.