Four Reasons Why Limiting Sugar is Good for You
November 27, 2018
While sugar may be tasty, it can have many negative effects on your health. November is National Diabetes Month and the African American and Hispanic communities are more likely than Caucasians to suffer complications from the disease. Sugar does not cause diabetes directly, but the substance can cause weight gain, with obesity acting as a leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Here’s why limiting the amount of sugar you eat is good for you:
It’s beneficial for your long-term health
Making sugar a consistent part of your diet could have lasting negative effects on your health. Excessive sugar intake can not only lead to a diabetes diagnosis, but may also increase the risk of heart diseases, high blood pressure, chronic inflammation and non-alcoholic liver disease. A high-sugar diet can cause you to gain weight. To promote healthy living and meet your personal fitness goals, reducing sugar in your diet is a great start.
It’s great for your skin
Lowering sugar intake can make your skin look and feel more vibrant and healthy. Sugar takes the water out of your cells, which dehydrates your skin leading to breakouts, puffiness, circles under the eyes and dull-looking skin. Limiting sugar in your diet will not only make you feel better, but also look better.
It will reduce cavities
Sugar can wreak havoc on your smile and rack up expensive dentist bills, and leave you in serious pain. The natural bacteria in our mouth allows sugar to thrive, which can cause plaque on your teeth. Plaque eats away at tooth enamel and leads to cavities and gum disease. Avoid the dentist chair and undue pain by limiting your sugar.
It’s good for your mental health
Reports have shown that excessive sugar intake can make existing mental health symptoms worse. People who consume too much sugar are more likely to experience anxiety and have more difficulty dealing with stress. Studies have found that too much sugar can make learning more difficult and affect your memory. This may occur because insulin resistance damages communication between your brain cells. While sugar does not cause mental health problems, lowering sugar intake can make dealing with them a little bit easier.
Access Community Health Network
If you have questions about your diet and how to limit your sugar intake, ACCESS is here to help. We also treat those with diabetes and offer diabetes education classes as select locations. Visit our website to find your local ACCESS health center and Make An Appointment
As of March 23, 2023