Sugar is one of the most harmful ingredients you can put in your body but it’s something many of us eat far too much of. According to the latest stats from the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, the average American eats 76.7g of sugar every day – the equivalent of 19 teaspoons per day. Below we’ll be discussing five of the main reasons you should limit your consumption of sugar.

It Has No Nutritional Value

One of the biggest reasons to avoid refined sugar is that it contains no vitamins, minerals or antioxidants. These nutrients are found in almost every healthy, natural food and are essential for your body’s survival. They support all the internal processes in your body, protect against illness and allow you to perform at your peak.

Eating too much refined sugar often stops you getting the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs from your diet and causes nutrient deficiencies. These nutrient deficiencies can cause you to feel sluggish, affect how you perform and lead to serious health problems.

It Disrupts Your Energy Levels

Sugar enters the bloodstream quickly and causes a rapid surge in energy levels, followed by a rapid crash. While the initial sugar high may give you a few minutes of increased energy and focus, the overall impact of these constant fluctuations in energy caused by eating too much refined sugar is negative. It makes it very difficult to concentrate for long periods of time, causes you to become unproductive and makes you feel lethargic.

It Causes Weight Gain

Unlike proteins and fats which take longer to digest and have a satiating effect on the body, sugar passes through the digestive system very quickly and doesn’t satisfy your appetite. As a result, you still crave additional after filling up on refined sugar and are very likely to overeat.

Sugar is also hidden in many foods such as breads, sauces and sodas. Because it doesn’t satisfy your appetite in the same way that other foods do, these hidden sugars add extra calories without you even noticing and cause you to gain weight.

It Causes Liver Damage

Many of the refined sugars in foods come in the form of fructose. When you eat too much fructose, it overloads the liver and causes it to turn fructose into fat. This then leads to fatty liver disease and many other liver problems which have a negative impact on your energy levels, digestion and overall health.

It Causes Inflammation In The Body

Numerous studies have shown that eating large amounts of refined sugar can cause excessive inflammation in the body. Not only is this excessive inflammation painful but it also damages your body’s cells and vital organs, and can cause permanent health problems. Inflammation in the body has also been linked with accelerated internal and external aging. Plus, it is also one of the biggest risk factors for chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

To cut that sugar craving, try this amazingly delicious smoothie!

CHOCOLATE BANANA BLISS SMOOTHIE

1 cup dairy free milk or coconut water

1 ripe banana

1/2 cup kale

2 tablespoons cashew butter or almond butter

1 tablespoon raw honey or stevia

2 tablespoons raw cacao