20 Big Reasons to Avoid Sugar

The Sugar/Alcohol Detox has begun. If you haven't started yet, we encourage you to join the rest os us who are fighting those cravings for chocolate, cookies, cake, pie, etc.

We promise you, you'll be glad you did it! When you go back to partaking in an occasional sweet indulgence, you'll find they may taste TOO sweet and you'll likely not overeat them.

Once you've conquered a week (or two) of sugar withdrawals, we hope you'll find continued motivation as you notice increased energy throughout the day and improvements in workouts.

Until then, it may help to be reminded of the dangers of a high sugar diet. We know that sugar is highly addictive and that high sugar consumption can cause obesity.

If you are neither obese or addicted to sugar, there are still many other reasons to avoid or reduce sugar in your diet. Even if you currently void of major health problems, there can be numerous metabolic responses "brewing" inside that you aren't yet aware of.

If we told you we could list over 20 dangers of a high sugar diet, would that convince you to cut down?

Think about how you and your whole family can benefit from cutting back on the sweet stuff!!

Here you go....

Consuming a diet high in sugar:

1. May Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease

Evidence suggests that high-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels — all risk factors for heart disease. The number one cause of death worldwide.

2. May cause/increase acne

A diet high in refined carbs, including sugary foods and drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of developing acne.

Foods with a high glycemic index, such as processed sweets, raise your blood sugar more rapidly than foods with a lower glycemic index.

Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development.

3. Increases Your Risk of Diabetes

The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 30 years. A high-sugar diet may lead to obesity and insulin resistance, both of which are risk factors for diabetes.

4. May Increase Your Risk of Cancer

Too much sugar can lead to obesity, insulin resistance and inflammation, all of which are risk factors for cancer.

5. May Increase Your Risk of Depression

While a healthy diet can help improve your mood, a diet high in added sugar and processed foods may increase your chances of developing depression. Consuming a lot of processed foods, including high-sugar products such as cakes and sugary drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of depression. Researchers believe that blood sugar swings, neurotransmitter dysregulation and inflammation may all be reasons for sugar’s detrimental impact on mental health.

7. May Accelerate the Skin Aging Process

Poor food choices can worsen wrinkles and speed the skin aging process.

8. Can Increase Cellular Aging

Telomeres are structures found at the end of chromosomes, which are molecules that hold part or all of your genetic information.

Telomeres act as protective caps, preventing chromosomes from deteriorating or fusing together. Consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to accelerate telomere shortening, which increases cellular aging.

9. Drains Your Energy

High-sugar foods can negatively impact your energy levels by causing a spike in blood sugar followed by a crash.

10. Can Lead to Fatty Liver

A high intake of fructose has been consistently linked to an increased risk of fatty liver.

11. Increase kidney disease risk:

Having consistently high blood sugar levels can cause damage to the delicate blood vessels in your kidneys. This can lead to an increased risk of kidney disease.

12. Dental Health- duh

13. Gout

Gout is an inflammatory condition characterized by pain in the joints. Added sugars raise uric acid levels in the blood, increasing the risk of developing or worsening gout.

14. Cognitive Decline

High-sugar diets can lead to impaired memory and have been linked to an increased risk of dementia In fact Alzheimer's Disease is now being referred to as Type 3 Diabetes.

Sugar can worsen......

15. Gut Problems

Sugar is linked to Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, kidney stones, gall stones, appendicitis, poor digestive health.

16. Suppressed immune system

Do you seem to always catch cold or other bugs when others don't? Overindulging in sugar weakens the immune system.

Sugar worsens:

17. Arthritis

Arthritis by definition is inflammation of the joints. Sugar increases inflammation throughout the body.

18. Asthma

Asthma by definition is inflammation of the airways. Sugar increases inflammation throughout the body.

19. Autism, ADHD, ADD

Sugar can worsen symptoms of all 3 of the above. With ADHD and ADD, a diet deficient in protein combined with a high sugar can cause increase blood sugar resulting in hyperactivity and inability to focus.

20. Mineral imbalance

Sugar can deplete (or reduce the absorption) of certain vitamins and minerals.

21. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Critical to avoid high sugar foods with PCOS. High sugar results in increased blood glucose and insulin levels.