How Much of Sugar Intake Is Actually Healthy for You?

Updated on March 28th, 2020
Sugar use

Sugar, sugar everywhere, but do you know how much your health can spare! Right from the time you are a kid to the times you are all grown up, that bar of chocolate or that sweet candy works like a perfect bait to indulge your sweet cravings with some sinful bites. But these turn out to be actually immoral when they start showing their repercussions on your body.

Yes, you read it right! Sugar is as harmful as any other toxin for your body but is so prevalent in every corner of the world. It is amongst the biggest addictions that have plagued the planet, but little do we all do to save ourselves from it.

So what do you do? Where do you draw the line for sugar intake? A little indulgence is fine but sinking the sweet tooth into thousands of calories of desserts on a daily basis is toxic for your health and can inflict irreparable damage. But not anymore as we tell you where is that exact thin but God Lily line that would drift you to your old age all healthy and active instead of killing that bed with a zillion ailments.

Read on to find out more about what should be the daily intake of sugar how to cleanse your system of sugar, detox your body, limit the consumption, and stay healthy and happy.

Sugar Intake Is Actually Healthy for You

  1. How does sugar intake affect the body?
  2. How do you calculate your level of sugar intake?
  3. How much sugar should you take on a daily basis?

How does sugar intake affect the body?

effect of sugar intake on body - infographic

There is perhaps nothing more tempting in the world than a block of Christmas pudding stuffed with raisins and nuts or maybe a chunky wedge of chocolate cheesecake. The very thought of desserts might make your mouth water but stop right there. Stop thinking about cakes, pastries, and puddings and check out how excess sugar adversely affects your health.

1. Leads to obesity

Consumption of sugar can cause an excessive gain in body weight through the accumulation of visceral fat. Sugary foods and beverages not only add to the number of calories consumed but also stimulate hunger cravings compelling you to eat more.

2. Root cause for diabetes

The excess sugar causes an increase in the resistance to insulin which leads to diabetes mellitus or diabetes type 2 which is triggers the gradual failure of the different organs of the body.

3. Increases the risks of cardiac problems

Excess consumption of sugar can cause inflammation of the cardiac muscles and trigger high blood pressure and a high level of triglycerides. It can also cause atherosclerosis which is hugely detrimental to the heart.

4. Causes dermatological blemishes

The excess sugar causes an increase in blood glucose which can trigger an increase in the production of oils and sebum from the skin thus leading to the appearance of acne, pimples, and other blemishes.

How do you calculate your level of sugar intake?

nutritional facts of sugar

Do words like “calculate” and “level” sound like a lot of math? Well don’t worry, it isn’t rocket science. The calculation is simple but crucial in determining your health and well being. Check out the steps to calculate your daily level of sugar intake.

First step

You need a diary and a pen. Jot down the name of the dessert and the sugary drink before consuming it. Now check the label on the bottle or the package and write down the amount of sugar present in the food.

Second step

Calculate the sugar you take by the amount of food that you take. If the box of five buns says 1000 calories of sugar and you consume only three, then calculate the sugar intake according to the amount of sugar in one bun which would 1000 divided by five which gives 200 calories. Then three muffins will have 600 calories of sugar.

Third step

Non-packaged foods do not come with a nutrition label. That certainly does not mean that you can close your eyes and go on a wild dessert binge. Jot down the name of the food item in the diary and check the nutritional database online to find the amount of sugar contained in the food.

Fourth step

Record the amount of sugar that you add to your tea and coffee. Add the amount of sugar that you add to the food while cooking. There are about 4-5 grams of granulated sugar in 1 teaspoon of it.

Fifth step

The final step is to add the total amount of sugar that you consumed throughout the day. The result is your daily intake of sugar.

How much sugar should you take on a daily basis?

how much sugar intake is good for health?

This question is of a significant poser indeed. The amount of sugar taken often depends upon your health condition. If you have diabetes type 2, then your sugar should be lesser than that of an average person.

1. Daily sugar intake for normal health conditions

sugar for normal health condition
Image:ShutterStock

According to the statistics revealed by the American Heart Association, the maximum level of sugar you eat on a regular basis should be:

  • 150 calories or 37.50 grams or 9 teaspoons of sugar for men
  • 100 calories or 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of sugar for women

The dietetic guidelines laid down by the US authority advises and recommends to cut down on the intake of sugar by about 10% of the level of daily intake of calories.

2. Daily sugar intake for obese people

If you are obese, overweight, diabetic, or suffering from any chronic physiological issues, then it is advised to avoid sugar altogether. If at all you feel the need for something sweet, then you can only have sugar once or twice in a week. Do not consume processed desserts, sugary beverages, and baked desserts at all. If you want to stay healthy and live longer then cut sugar out from your life.

3. Daily sugar intake for people who are addicted to sugar

For those people who are addicted to sugar, the consumption of sugary foods and drinks is as toxic and detrimental as substance abuse. However, addiction to sugar is comparatively easier to overcome. If you tend to binge-eat on sugary foods and repeatedly fail at curbing your daily intake of sugar, then you are an addict. It is recommended to religiously abstain from having sugar to get over the addiction altogether.

How do you detox excess sugar from the body?

The worst part about sugar is that it is everywhere. The only food that is utterly devoid of sugar is perhaps “water” which is not food at all. Every delicious food in the world is made of sugar and so the first few days of the sugar detox diet will probably make you cry and rage. But don’t give up and don’t you dare give in. Sugar detox is the first and most crucial step of cleansing your system of the toxic sugar. Only about a month of following through with the sugar detox regimen will reveal excellent results.

1. Preparation for the sugar detox diet

Sugar Detox
Image:ShutterStock

The author of the book, “The blood sugar solution ten-day detox diet” Dr.Hyman, says that eating sugar can be more addictive than snorting cocaine. He writes that the most efficient way to detox the body of sugar is by the complete elimination of sugar from the diet. Get rid of every food item that contains the slightest trace of glucose, sucrose, fructose, in short anything that ends in “-one.” Cut the sugar out completely to cleanse your blood of excess glucose.

Read More:
10 Natural Ways to Help You Expel the Harmful Substances from Your Body

2. Get rid of the artificial sweeteners

artificial sweeteners
Image:ShutterStock

Artificial sweeteners might be tempting and helpful too on the first few days of the sugar detox diet, but the excess use of artificial sweeteners has been repeatedly proven to be harmful to health. Harvard University has revealed that the consumption of fake sugar and sweetener can promote weight gain, obesity, disruption in metabolism, and diabetes type 2. Artificial sweeteners can also be addictive are detrimental to health in the long run.

3. Focus on the whole foods

whole foods - sugar intake tips
Image: ShutterStock

Dr. Hyman speaks very highly of whole grains. He says that the best way to follow through with the sugar detox diet is to eat more whole foods that include fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat, eggs, nuts and seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil, sunflower oil etc. The consumption of protein foods can help to cut down on hunger cravings and control excess appetite. You can also curb your sugar cravings by eating fresh and juicy fruits that are sweet and delicious and contain natural sugars that do not have any ill effects on the health.

4. Opt for the healthy carbs

healthy carbs
Image:ShutterStock

Avoiding sugar does not necessarily imply the avoidance of carbs. But you should select the right foods that do not contain refined carbohydrates. Avoid eating foods like white bread and pasta. Eat healthy carbs like Brussels, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy green vegetables, and more.

The sugar detox diet will not only help to shed the extra pounds but will assist in the natural treatment of diabetes, obesity, and other health problems linked with the excess intake of sugar.

5. Combat the sugar with fats

combat sugar with fats
Image: ShutterStock
Image: ShutterStock

Here’s a bit of news for you, fats do not make you fat, but sugar does. Sugar is now the new kind of fat. A regular dose of healthy fats helps to stay full and aids in balancing the amount of glucose in the blood. Fat is one of the most important sources of energy for the body. It is essential to have healthy fats during breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals. The best sources of fats include seeds and nuts, avocado, fatty fish, and healthy vegetable oils.

6. Prepare a healthy food pack for emergencies

food pack for emergencies
Image: ShutterStock

If you are a busy bee, then it is likely that you do not get to sit for your meals in time and end up feeling hungry at odd hours. Indiscipline in eating is not a healthy trend, but at times it cannot be helped. Prepare and carry a food pack to meet such emergency hunger pangs healthily. Carry a box of healthy fats and proteins like nut butter, almonds, seeds, walnuts, canned sardines, fruits, and steamed veggies. The emergency food box is especially handy if you are feeling hungry in the midst of nowhere in an alluring maze of fast food stores, tempting vending machines and more.

Read:
Do You Eat 4 Almonds a Day?

7. De-stress with yoga

yoga
Image:ShutterStock

Yoga is a significant part of the sugar detox diet. It helps to provide relief from stress and maintain a healthy hormonal balance. Stress and anxiety trigger the hormone cortisol to go wild. With an increase in the level of the cortisol hormone, the amount of glucose in the blood increases thereby leading to diabetes type 2. Practice yoga twice a day to let go of all the troubles and worries and enhance the efficiency of the sugar detox diet.

8. Cut out the inflammatory foods

The consumption of inflammatory foods like gluten, sugar, and trans-fatty acids is exceedingly toxic for health and cause internal inflammation. Inflammation triggers sudden spikes in blood glucose and leads to insulin resistance and diabetes. Quit the consumption of processed dairy products and gluten foods to accelerate the effects of the sugar detox diet.

Read more:
If You Have Diabetes You Can Still Have Great Tasting Food

9. Avoid the beverages

Sugary beverages are worse than sugary foods. The sugar acquired from sweet drinks gets channeled directly to the liver and causes liver toxicity. Drinking sugary drinks increases the risks of obesity.

10. Get your eight hours of daily sleep

eight hours of daily sleep
Image:ShutterStock

Deprivation of sleep affects the hormones that control appetite and induce excess craving for sugar and carbs. Sleeping is the best way to combat overeating and excess gain in weight.

How long does it take to detoxify the sugar?

It takes about ten days of rigorously following the sugar detox diet regimen for the effects of the diet to kick in. In nearly a month or so of negligible sugar intake, your blood and body will get cleansed of sugar.

Bottom Line

Keeping up with the sugar detox diet requires courage, tenacity, the strength of willpower, and a tremendous amount of determination. It is easy to cheat, and one tiny bite into a sugary pastry can make you fall prey to the addiction of sugar all over again. But you have got to stick to the sugar detox diet and make it a habit of eating less sugar or no sugar at all. And when your system gets thoroughly cleansed of sugar, your health, beauty, and heartiness will know no bounds.

[Also Read: Healthy Brown Sugar Substitutes ]

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