Our fondness for Festivities and the festivities makes it tough to resist a Laddoo or a Gulab Jamun or a Kaju Katli. And don’t we often find the festive season as an excuse to have one or more of these amazing sugary treats? That’s where the dilemma is, since you are already aware that sugar isn’t right for your body and health and yet you still want to have it.
The overall sugar consumption of Indians went up by 32% between October 22 to 27, during the Festivities week of 2022, according to a report. It was at an all-time high for that year which resulted in an average weight gain of 1.5 kgs per consumer so one should be worried about indulging in those lip-smacking sugary treats.
Sugar is fine for you in small amounts but too much indulgence can affect your body and increase your risk of several serious medical conditions like
Increases your risk of Heart Disease – Consuming too much sugar can increase your blood pressure causing hypertension and arterial complications like atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by fatty, artery-clogging deposits and stroke.
Increases your risk of Type 2 Diabetes – Diabetes is the leading cause of mortality and reduced life expectancy. Prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and strongly increases your risk of diabetes.
Affects your Skin – Binge-eating on the sugary treats can cause Acne, blemishes and pigmentation.
Weight Gain – Eating large amounts of sugar can contribute to weight gain and increased body fat. Obesity is often caused by excessive sugar consumption.
Enhances Cellular Aging – Telomeres are structures found at the end of chromosomes, which are molecules that hold part or all of your genetic information. Consuming high amounts of sugar has been shown to accelerate telomere shortening, which increases cellular aging.
Can lead to Fatty Liver – A high intake of fructose has been consistently linked to an increased risk of Fatty Liver. Large amounts of added sugar in the form of fructose overload your liver, leading to Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), a condition characterized by excessive fat build-up in the liver.
Impacts Dental Health – Eating too much sugar can cause cavities. Bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar and release acid by-products, which causes tooth demineralization leading to cavities.
In conclusion, the best way to limit your sugar intake this Festivities is to prepare your own healthy sweets at home. We should not let our guard down even when we are consuming sweets made from artificial sweeteners or if it’s sugar free. We can use whole fruits as sweeteners as they are a much healthier option. We have to be restrictive to a greater extent in order to avoid sugars and be mindful about consuming sweets on this and all the other festive seasons.
There should be no dilemma but a healthy decision to consume less sugar and avoid a plethora of health issues.