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The Real Cost of Sugar

By: Jessie Horodeczny

It’s in nearly everything we consume. Energy drinks, lattes, sodas, cereals, pre-packaged meals, even your go to post work out protein bar. I’m talking about sugar. According to the American Heart Association on heart.org, the average American adult consumes approximately 17 teaspoons of added sugar daily. (For our purposes, added sugar refers to sugar added to foods and drinks during processing and preparation, not the sugars which naturally occur in fruits, dairy and some vegetables) That calculates to a whopping 60 lbs of added sugar per calendar year! But how does humanity’s sweetener of choice really affect our bodies, and ultimately the quality of our lives?

The Many Names of Sugar

Without getting too technical, the scientific name for sugar is “sucrose”, and it’s extracted from sugar cane or sugar beets. Added sugar, however, can come from a multitude of sources including honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup and starch in the form of dextrose. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, even the most diligent nutrition fact reader can vastly underestimate the amount of sugar they and their families are consuming.

How Much Sugar is Too Much?

The American Heart Association recommends 9 teaspoons (36 grams) or less per day for the average male, and no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for the average female. The average American more than doubles that daily amount. A quick scan of the nutrition facts on a box of popular cereal bars or flavored coffee creamer, and it’s easy to see how quickly the sweet stuff adds up. So now we know the numbers, but how does that apply to our overall health?

That brings us to…

The Cost- What Effects Does Sugar Have on Our Bodies?

Let me summarize; Basically, as we digest sugar, our blood glucose (sugar) level rises. To counteract this increase, our pancreas releases insulin, which then decreases the glucose level in our blood. While this is a perfectly normal bodily function, the more sugar we consume, the harder the pancreas needs to work. An over-worked pancreas cannot produce sufficient insulin (or our body becomes insulin resistant) and we end up with Type-2 Diabetes. Obesity is another potential health risk, as the excess calories from an over abundance of sugar turn to stored fat. According to the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), obesity may implicate a higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, kidney disease, tooth decay and some cancers, to name a few of the big ones. 

Prevention.com in their December 12, 2013 article “11 Weird Things Sugar’s Doing to Your Body” (https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/healthy-eating/g20442040/weird-effects-sugars-having-on-your-body), cites a study from Public Health Journal that followed approximately 9,000 people and determined that those whose diets consisted of the most junk food had an almost 40% greater risk of developing depression. Inflammation, altered neurotransmitters and worsened gut health caused by a surplus of sugar may be to blame. Not to mention, sugary foods and drinks are highly addictive, so even though it wreaks havoc on our minds and bodies, we keep coming back for more. 

On top of the physical and mental toll, the financial strain from rising insurance premiums, medical stays, dentist visits, prescription medications and time off of work raises the real cost of sugar even higher. 

The Problem is Clear, So What’s the Solution?

Modern life is crazy busy and maintaining a healthy diet can be SO hard! Here are some simple tricks that may help you shed some unnecessary sugar from your diet, saving your body and your bank account from sugar related health issues. 

• Cut out the soda, sports drinks and sucrose-laden coffees. Swap them out with water or sparkling water flavored with fruit, or use half and half and a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg for a tasty, healthier cup of coffee. 

• Speaking of cinnamon or nutmeg, use spices to add flavor to food or drinks you would typically add sugar to. Add apples and cinnamon to a bowl of oatmeal for a punch of flavor. If you need a bit more zing, ginger is a fun choice as well!

• When baking cakes, brownies or cookies, replace the sugar with applesauce. I can attest to the legitimacy of this swap, and no one knew the difference!

• Read labels and educate yourself on the many forms sugar can take and what brands and products enhance their products with an excess of it. Find some low sugar/no added sugar options you enjoy and keep those items stocked in your kitchen or pantry for when those sweet cravings hit. 

You may need to cut added sugar out gradually, but small improvements each day will add up to big gains in your physical and mental health. A 5 lb bag of sugar may seem affordable on your grocery receipt, but the short and long term costs, physically, mentally and financially are too dangerous to ignore. 

If you’re passionate, or even just curious, about getting and staying healthy, follow my blog for more straightforward and practical health and wellness content!