During festive periods, there is often a surge in sugar consumption due to traditional treats, festive baking, and the gifting of sweets and chocolates. Sugar is found not only in desserts and sweetened beverages but also lurking in processed foods and sauces. While sugar can provide a quick source of energy, excessive consumption poses serious risks to both physical and mental health. Understanding these health risks is crucial for making informed dietary choices and safeguarding long-term well-being.

1. Increase Risk of Obesity, Diabetes & Heart Disease

Excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increase in visceral fat¹, a type of deep abdominal fat linked to health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

A 2021 local meta-analysis² focusing on Asian populations revealed that individuals with higher sugary beverage intake had a 51% greater likelihood of developing diabetes compared to those with lower consumption levels.

Prolonged sugar consumption can drive resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Reduced sensitivity to insulin can potentially lead to type II diabetes. Insulin resistance is also closely associated with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide.

2. Increase risk of Mood Disorders

Long-term sugar consumption has been shown to change neurobiological brain function which alters emotional states and subsequent behaviours.

A 2017 study³ involving 8,000 participants found that men consuming 67 grams or more of sugar daily had a 23% higher risk of developing depression compared to those who consumed less than 40 grams per day. Research also shows that sugar can be more addictive than drugs as its consumption activates the brain signal pathway in a manner synonymous with substances of abuse⁴. Being addicted to sugar could cause you to develop depression and other mood disorders.

3. Accelerate Skin Aging

A diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar leads to the production of AGEs (advanced glycation end products), which may cause your skin to age prematurely. AGEs damage collagen and elastin, proteins essential for maintaining the skin’s elasticity and youthful appearance.

How to reduce sugar in our daily diet?

Now that you are aware of the health risks associated with sugar, how can we reduce our daily sugar intake? The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6% of daily calories. For most women, that is about 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, and no more than 9 teaspoons for men. However, the average Singaporeans consume 12 teaspoons (58g) of sugar daily⁵. How did we end up consuming so much? A typical cup of kopi (milk coffee with sugar) can contain over 4 teaspoons of sugar, while a plate of mee siam may pack up to 10 teaspoons!

The good news is that with mindfulness and a few practical tips, it is still possible to train our taste buds to adapt to a lower sugar intake.

Tips in reducing sugar in food and drinks:

• Look out for Health Promotion Board’s “Lower in Sugar” Healthier Choice Symbol when deciding which food and drink products to buy in the supermarkets.
• Instead of sugary fizzy drinks, go for sugar-free, diet or no-added-sugar drinks. Even unsweetened fruit juices and smoothies are sugary, so limit to not more than 150 ml a day.
• If you take sugar in hot drinks or add sugar to your breakfast cereal, gradually reduce the amount until you can cut it out altogether.

• Rather than spreading high-sugar jam, marmalade, syrup, chocolate spread or honey on your toast, try a lower-fat spread, reduced-sugar jam or fruit spread, sliced banana or lower-fat cream cheese instead.
• Use olive oil or vinegar in place of sweet salad dressings like honey mustard.

If you like to have extra help in controlling your blood sugar level, Holistic Way Sugar Factor can help you to do so with natural ingredients. It is a blend of carefully selected herbs, consisting of bitter melon, gymnema plant, and fenugreek that promote healthy blood sugar levels by reducing sugar cravings and slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates.

References

1. Odegaard, A. O., Choh, A. C., Czerwinski, S. A., Towne, B., & Demerath, E. W. (2012). Sugar‐sweetened and diet beverages in relation to visceral adipose tissue. Obesity, 20(3), 689-691.
2. Neelakantan, N., Park, S. H., Chen, G. C., & van Dam, R. M. (2022). Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, weight gain, and risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Asia: a systematic review. Nutrition reviews, 80(1), 50-67.
3. Knüppel, A., Shipley, M. J., Llewellyn, C. H., & Brunner, E. J. (2017). Sugar intake from sweet food and beverages, common mental disorder and depression: prospective findings from the Whitehall II study. Scientific reports, 7(1), 1-10.
4. Jacques, A., Chaaya, N., Beecher, K., Ali, S. A., Belmer, A., & Bartlett, S. (2019). The impact of sugar consumption on stress driven, emotional and addictive behaviors. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 103, 178-199.
5. National Nutrition Survey 2018/2019. Singapore: Health Promotion Board