10 scary things that can happen to your body when you eat too much sugar
We already know that modern Western diets are loaded with added sweeteners (even our bread has excess sugar in it). With obesity numbers skyrocketing and the nutritional science community oscillating between sugar, fat, and carbs as the scapegoat du jour, it's hard to know what exactly is safe to eat.
There are a lot of myths surrounding the effects sugar has on our health. But even though humans need glucose to survive, it's no secret that the exorbitant amount of sugar found in everyday foods like processed snack foods, canned food, and soft drinks have become too much for our bodies to handle.
We've rounded up 10 of the scariest effects a sugar-rich diet can have on your overall health, with expert input from Dr. Jennifer Haythe, a cardiologist at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York; Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse and founder of RemediesForMe.com; and Colette Heimowitz, a nutritionist at Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. who has worked with celebrities like Kim Kardashian.
Weight gain
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Multiple studies have linked the consumption of sugary foods and drinks to weight gain. Research published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2011 confirmed a "positive association" between drinking soft drinks regularly and the rising obesity epidemic.
"Sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly soda, provide little nutritional benefit and increase weight gain and probably the risk of diabetes, fractures, and dental caries," the researchers concluded.
Your body needs glucose to survive, but when you consume more than you need, what happens?
"When you consume more sugar than the body can use, the body converts it into fatty acid and stores it for future use in adipose fatty cells, such as the hips, thighs, arms, and stomach," Lee said.
Tooth decay
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Sugar does not actually cause cavities, contrary to popular belief. However, the waste product (acid) caused by sugar interacting with the surface of your teeth will cause cavities. So if you're not watching what you eat (or ignore regular dental cleanses), you could be looking at a mouth full of decay.
Skin problems
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We know the idea that eating chocolate causes acne is an old wives' tale, but can sugary foods really cause issues for your dermatological health?
Scientists have recently made the connection between consuming dairy and foods with high glycemic indexes (aka sweet foods) with skin problems.
"Research has substantiated the role of specific foods, such as dairy products, as well as dietary patterns, including the high glycemic load diet typical of the Western diet," a 2014 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology said.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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