Sugar is one of those ingredients that significantly enhances the taste of certain foods and drinks. When things taste sweeter, they give you more pleasure as you consume them, and they even prime your brain for the release of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins.
Unfortunately, consuming vast quantities of sugar is bad for you and your family, and it can cause all kinds of health problems. You may feel that you seldom add sugar to the things you eat and drink, but many of your favorite packaged foods and drinks contain substantial levels of it. Here are reasons to cut your family’s sugar intake to help you lead a healthier lifestyle.
1. You’ll Stop Unwanted Weight Gain
Did you know that high sugar consumption can cause people to gain weight? The reason for that is simple: sugar contains calories, and eating too many calories in your diet means you almost certainly gain weight.
If you become overweight, you significantly increase the risk of medical conditions like heart disease and Type II diabetes. There are other and even more long-term effects for children, too, including hyperactivity, shortened focus, and digestive issues. That’s why helps to cut your family’s sugar intake – especially if you’re already on a calorie-controlled diet.
2. You’ll Avoid Damaging Your Teeth
Another top reason to cut down on your daily sugar consumption relates to your dental care. Too much sugar in your daily diet can lead to tooth decay, and you may even need teeth whitening due to discoloration caused by bacteria in your mouth feeding on the sugar you consume!
If you want to keep your teeth in tip-top condition, it makes sense to keep your sugar consumption under control.
3. You Won’t Crash
Have you ever noticed that eating or drinking anything sugary only gives you a temporary energy boost? You may also recall that you end up “crashing” shortly afterward – feeling like you have such little energy that you must rest or lie down in bed for a while. When you minimize your sugar consumption in your diet and replace sugary things with fruit and vegetables (that give you natural energy boosts!), you’ll feel more energized for longer throughout your day.
The same thing applies to children, who have an even harder time ‘bouncing back’ from a sugar rush.
4. You’ll Reduce Aches And Pains
Believe it or not, excessive sugar consumption could lead to regular aches and pains in your muscles and joints, even in children! Why? Because sugar can cause muscle and joint inflammation.
If you often feel achy and you can’t explain why that is so, the answer might be due to the high consumption of sugar in your diet each day.
5. You Won’t Feel So Hungry Throughout The Day
One final reason to avoid excessive sugar consumption is that you’ll feel fuller throughout the day. When you consume foods and drinks with lots of sugar in them, you’ll discover that you feel hungry again a short time afterward.
An issue with sugar is that it contains low dietary fiber – and fiber is an excellent way to make you feel fuller for longer.
Featured Image Credit: Chris Benson
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