You like it sweet? Think again!

We are what we eat. The food that we put into our bodies is either healthy or unhealthy. There is no gray area here. There have been scientific studies that show eating sugary foods, in moderation, is okay. However, that doesn’t necessarily make it healthy for you.

The average intake is about 50 g of sugar a day but Malaysians consume 125 g daily. That is about two-and-a-half times more than the norm. Other common sources of hidden sugar are carbohydrate-heavy foods. And not only do Malaysians eat rice as lunch or dinner, they also love to eat carb-heavy breakfast such as roti canai and mee goreng.

“50.1% of Malaysians were overweight with 19.7% of them facing obesity… About one in five adult Malaysians are living with diabetes in 2022.”

The average daily sugar intake for adolescents has increased from seven teaspoons in 2012 to 10 teaspoons in 2017 –more than the recommended limit for adults. High sugar consumption can lead to weight gain, which will eventually result in obesity. The 2019 statistics showed that 50.1% of Malaysians were overweight with 19.7% of them facing obesity. This means that one in two adults is now overweight.

Too much sugar is not very sweet on our health

“One in five adults in Malaysia has type 2 diabetes."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the daily intake of calories from sugar should not exceed 25 g for adults. Excessive consumption of sugar is harmful to the human body because it causes diseases, insatiable hunger, addiction, high blood pressure, and increases the risk of high blood pressure and insulin resistance.

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019 (NHMS 2019), overconsumption of sugar has consequences on body’s health:

“One in five adults in Malaysia has type 2 diabetes, with an estimated 3.9 million adults in Malaysia aged 18 and above being diagnosed with diabetes as of 2019, higher than 3.5 million in 2015.”

Metabolic Syndrome

High blood glucose

Hig blood pressure

High lipid profile

Large waist size

Low HDL levels

The Onset of Metabolic Syndrome

A scientific study showed that eating one sugary treat daily for an entire month can set off metabolic syndrome in an otherwise healthy person. Metabolic syndrome is a group of factors that can lead to high risk diseases such as coronary disease and diabetes. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, obesity and high levels of triglycerides. Metabolic syndrome can lead to strokes or heart attacks proving that over time the effects of sugar are seriously harmful. Metabolic syndrome has also been linked to frequent illness and liver disease.

Here are some harmful effects of sugar that everybody should know:

1. Weight Gain

Sugar consumption leads the way to increased weight. Research has repeatedly specified the harmful effects of sugar through the consumption of too many colas, sodas, juices, and other sweetened beverages. Those who eat too much junk or processed food to curb their hunger weigh more than those who rely on a healthy diet.

2. Heart Disease

High sugar consumption has been related to increased inflammation, elevated levels of triglycerides, and raised blood pressure levels that lead to increased risk of heart disease. Also, increased sugar intake can result in the deposition of fat on arteries which may lead to atherosclerosis.

3. Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

There is a clear relation between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes. Having high sugar in the blood leads to insulin resistance which leads to diabetes.

4. Depression

While a healthy diet helps improve mood, a diet high in added sugar increases the risk of developing depression. Eating sugary snacks stimulates the release of dopamine, a feel-good chemical in the body. As this surge reduces, the brain starts to crave again for the same high.

5. Bad Skin

Sugar increases acne production. The spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels enhance oil production, androgen secretion, and inflammation, all of which play a crucial role in acne formation.

6. Causes Skin Sagging and Wrinkles

A diet high in sugar content leads to accelerated skin aging. Those who eat lots of sugar have more wrinkles and sagging skin than their counterparts who don’t. Consumption of sugar leads to the formation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation Endproducts) that harm the skin’s collagen and elastin, which cause the skin to age prematurely.

7. Cavities

Dentists claim that sugar is the prime cause of cavities formation in the teeth. Even if people brush their teeth every time they eat something sweet, still there is a risk of spoiling the teeth.

8. Pain in Joint

Those individuals who suffer from joint pain and reduce their sugar intake may observe a considerable decrease in their pain levels. Sugar is one of the risk factors linked to an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

9. Fatty Liver

The liver is responsible for breaking down sugar into glycogen and storing the excess amounts as fat. A large amount of sugar leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition characterised by excessive fat build-up in the liver.

10. Addiction to Sugar

Sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward centre, which leads to compulsive behavior. Every time we eat sweets, we are reinforcing those neuropathways, causing the brain to become increasingly hardwired to crave sugar, building up a tolerance like any other drug.

Switch to a healthier sugar alternative – HomsweetPlus!

HomsweetPlus is a healthier alternative for you to enjoy the sweetness without worrying the harmful effects of sugar to your body. It is formulated with Erythritol, added with Crystalline Fructose and Sucralose. This sweetener is 4 times sweeter than normal sugar. That also means you can actually taste the same sweetness with only ¼ of the amount of ordinary sugar if you consume HomsweetPlus. Moreover, this unique sweetener also has low glycemic index and will not cause blood sugar spike and tooth cavities. Ideal for daily consumption of whole family if you want to add sweetness to your drink, pastry or cooking.

If you concern about your health, switching to HomsweetPlus! is a must for you!